382015382015 740 PM 1 1 Peter Notes

I AUTHORA Peter (1Pet 11 8 51) Peters authorship was not questioned until the nineteenth century

(Constable)1 Peterrsquos given name was Simon2 Jesus gave him the name Cephas (John 142) Cephas means stone or rock The Greek

translation of the Aramaic word Cephas is petros which also means stone or rock Peter is the only man in the New Testament called by this namei Petros apostolos iesous christos parepidemos diaspora pontos galatia

kappadokia asia bithunia3 Peter occupied a favored place among the apostles (Matt 102-4 Mk 316-19 537 92 Lk

613-16Matthew 102-4 (NASB) 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these The first Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother and James the son of Zebedee and John his brother 3 Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the tax collector James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot the one who betrayed Him

Mark 316-19 (NASB) 16 And He appointed the twelve Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter) 17 and James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges which means Sons of Thunder) 18 and Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus and Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him

Luke 613-16 (NASB) 13 And when day came He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them whom He also named as apostles 14 Simon whom He also named Peter and Andrew his brother and James and John and Philip and Bartholomew 15 and Matthew and Thomas James the son of Alphaeus and Simon who was called the Zealot 16 Judas the sonof James and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor

Acts 113 (NASB) 13 When they had entered the city they went up to the upper room where they were staying that is Peter and John and James and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew and Matthew James the sonof Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James

i The three names at the head of each group seem to have been the group leaders The three groups always appear in the same order first Peters group then the group led by Philip then the group headed by James (MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (p 30) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition )Matthew 102ndash4 Mark 316ndash19 Luke 614ndash16 Acts 113

Peter Peter Peter Peter

Andrew James Andrew John

James John James James

382015382015 740 PM 2 1 Peter Notes

John Andrew John Andrew

Philip Philip Philip Philip

Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Thomas

Thomas Matthew Matthew Bartholomew

Matthew Thomas Thomas Matthew

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

Lebbaeus (surn Thaddeus)

Thaddeus Simon Simon

Simon Simon Judas (son of James)

Judas (son of James)

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot

ii MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (p 30-31) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition

4 He occupied a central place in the book of Acts (first 12 chapters)5 He married and lived in Capernaum6 He worked in fishing business with his brother Andrew (John 140 John 68))7 The Lord came to him in a special appearance after the resurrection (Luke 2434 I Cor 155)8 God used Peter to win 3000 souls to Christ on Pentecost (Acts 2)9 Peter had an important part in the first Church council in Acts 15 (AD 50 Peter is not mentioned

after this in the book of Acts)10 Paul refers to Peter in Galatians 118 211 1Cor 1-4 95

B Peter was literate but unschooled1 ldquoWhat qualified these men to be apostles Obviously it was not any intrinsic ability or

outstanding talent of their own They were Galileans They were not the elite Galileans were deemed low-class rural uneducated people They were commonersmdashnobodies But again they were not selected because they were any more distinguished or more talented than others in Israel at the timerdquo MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (pp 9-10) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition

2 ldquoGod chooses the humble the lowly the meek and the weak so that theres never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world Its not the man its the truth of God and the power of God in the man (We need to remind some preachers today of this Its not their cleverness or their personality The power is in the Wordmdashthe truth that we preachmdashnot in us) And apart from one Personmdashone extraordinary human being who was God incarnate the Lord Jesus Christmdashthe history of Gods work on earth is the story of His using the unworthy and molding them for His use the same careful way a potter fashions clay The Twelve were no exception to thatrdquo MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (pp 11-12) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition i Called from his trade as a fisherman to be a ldquofisher of men (Luke 51-11 Matthew 418-19

Mark 116-20)C Peterrsquos public ministry spanned 30 years and stretched from Jerusalem to Rome

1 Wrote two of the New Testament BookD Peter employed Silas as his secretary to write the letter (I Pet 512) Silas was a Roman citizen

(Acts 1636-37)E Parallels between I Peter and his sermons in Acts Cf I Peter 120 with Acts 223 cf I Peter 45 with

Acts 1042 Cf I Peter 27-8 and Acts 410-111 Peter 120 (NASB) Acts 223 (NASB)

382015382015 740 PM 3 1 Peter Notes

20 For He was foreknown before the foundation

of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

23 this Man delivered over by the

predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death

1 Peter 45 (NASB) 5

but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead

Acts 1042 (NASB) 42

And He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead

1 Peter 27-8 (NASB) 7

This precious value then is for you who believe but for those who disbelieve THESTONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone 8

and A STONE OF STUMBLING AND AROCK OF OFFENSE for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word and to this doom they were also appointed

Acts 410-11 (NASB) 10

let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified whom God raised from the deadmdashby this name this man stands here before you in good health 11

He is the STONE WHICH WASREJECTED by you THE BUILDERS butWHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERstone

1 In the last passage Psalm 11822 is quoted and applied to Christ to refer to his rejection by Jewish leaders

F I Peter is quoted extensively in early church history 1 This epistle was quoted extensively in the early church in such writings as the letters of

Polycarp Clement and Irenaeus 2 Martyred by Nero (Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Clement of Rome Dionysius of Corinth tell us

he suffered martyrdom) 3 Origin said he was crucified with his head downwards 4 He died AD 67-68

II DATEA AD 64B This was shortly before Nerorsquos persecution

After this the first five years of Nerorsquos reign were markedly virtuous later Romans gave them the name Quinquennium Neronis Possibly his tutor Seneca was able to dominate him in his youth or else he succumbed to the family curse of progressive dementia In any case from the age of twenty on his private behavior began to sink first towards overindulgence and towards insanity In 58 he fell in love with Poppea the wife of his friend Otho Nero sent Otho off to a distant province and invited Poppea to stay in the palace he was actually married already but ignored his wifersquos protests In 59 he decided to get rid of his mother for good He built a collapsible boat which was supposed to fold in upon her and drown her and then sent her off on a river cruise he was not yet mad enough to be unconcerned about appearances But she swam to shore much to his dismay according to one account he ordered a servant to stab her as soon as she got to land He then divorced his wife and then had her murdered and her head brought back to Poppea as a trophy He also declared a divorce between Poppea and her husband Otho and married her himself Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11937-11942) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In AD 64 a fire began in Rome and spread quickly through the poorer parts of the city A wind picked it up and strengthened it The city was crammed with dry wood houses

382015382015 740 PM 4 1 Peter Notes

shoulder to shoulder and the fire burned its way to a height never seen before ldquoThe disaster which the city then underwent had no parallel save in the Gallic invasionrdquo wrote Dio Cassius ldquoThe whole Palatine hill the theater of Taurus and nearly two thirds of the rest of the city were burned Countless persons perishedrdquo 12 Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11960-11964) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

The fire the insanity and the treason trials together impelled a group of senators to plan an assassination in April of 65 The Senate had not been this desperate since Caesarrsquos death over a hundred years before But the plan was discovered the conspirators put to death and Nero spiralled further into paranoia His old tutor Seneca himself learning that he was suspected of treason killed himself with his wife in their home to avoid torture and execution Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11971-11974) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

Around this time the persecution of Christians began Nero while putting to death all suspected conspirators against him needed to deflect attention from his own misdeeds Christians provided him with a convenient scapegoat for the fire as well But he also seems to have been motivated by genuine hatred Sulpicius Severusrsquos [c 363 ndash c 425] Chronicle says Nero could not by any means he tried escape from the charge that the fire had been caused by his orders He therefore turned the accusation against the Christians and the most cruel tortures were accordingly inflicted upon the innocent Nay even new kinds of deaths were invented so that being covered in the skins of wild beasts they perished by being devoured by dogs while many were crucified or slain by fire and not a few were set apart for this purpose that when the day came to a close they should be consumed to serve for light during the nighthellip At that time Paul and [the disciple] Peter were condemned to death the former being beheaded with a sword while Peter suffered crucifixion 14Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11974-11982) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In addition Nerorsquos behavior had gotten unbelievably worse He had kicked his pregnant wife to death in a rage and then he had ordered a young boy named Sporus who bore a resemblance to his dead wife castrated so that he could marry Sporus in a public ceremony Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11994-11995) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

1 Peter warns that persecution is imminent

III DESTINATIONA Peter wrote to the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor in what is modern day northern Turkey (1Pet

11 Acts 29-10) ndash See map of Paulrsquos missionary journeysB Many Jews lived in these provinces therefore many quotations from the Old Testament are found in I

Peter ldquoDiasporardquo (Jews who lived outside Palestine and yet looked on it as their native land)C To Christians everywhere (1Pet 118-19 23 210 24)D Peter was especially the apostle to the Jews (Gal 27-8)E The epistle was written predominantly to Hebrew Christians but also includes Gentile Christians

IV PURPOSEA The purpose of I Peter is to enable Christians to face persecution in the grace of God (1Pet 512) to

prepare them for suffering1 ldquofive major motifs in 1 Peter These are (1) the believers behavior (2) the believers unfair

circumstances (3) the believers deference (4) the believers motivation by Christs example and (5) the believers anticipation of future gloryrdquo (2013 Edition Dr Constables Notes on 1 Peter)

B A secondary purpose is to encourage believers to face persecution and suffering (1Pet 16-7 58-9)C Peter encourages believers to lift their eyes above present difficulties to Godrsquos grace He shows

them the hope ahead (1Pet 13) He points to the example of Christ (1Pet 221-23)V OUTLINE

382015382015 740 PM 5 1 Peter Notes

A Salutation (1Pet 11-2) A Author (1Pet 11a) B Addressees (1Pet 11b-2)B Perspective in Suffering (1Pet 13-210)

1 The perspective of hope (1Pet 13-12) 2 The perspective of the Word (1Pet 113-25) 3 The perspective of a new position (1Pet 21-10)

C The Pressures of Suffering (1Pet 211-411)1 Pressure of evil desires (1Pet 211-12)2 Pressure of the state (1Pet 213-17)3 Pressure of employment (1Pet 218-25)4 Pressure of the home (1Pet 31-7)5 Pressure of social life in the church (1Pet 38-12)6 Pressure of the world (1Pet 313-46)7 Pressure of service (1Pet 47-11)

D Prescriptions for Suffering (1Pet 412-511)1 Prescriptions for endurance in suffering (1Pet 412-19)2 Prescriptions for right attitudes in suffering (1Pet 51-11)

Attitudes of elders (1Pet 51-4) Attitudes of all believers (1Pet 55-10)

E Conclusion (1Pet 512-14)VI CANONICITY (PROOF OF WHY THIS BOOK BELONGS IN THE BIBLE)

A External Evidence (Note year indicates the earliest date for authors writing)1 Irenaeus quotes it (175 AD)2 Tertullian quotes it (190AD)3 Clement (Alexandria) quotes it (195 AD)4 Clement of Rome quotes it (96 AD)5 Polycarp quotes it (116 AD) 6 Epistle of Diognetus quotes it (117AD)7 Testament of the 12 patriarchs uses it (120 AD) 8 Papias uses it (120 AD) 9 Hermas uses it (130 AD) Unanimously cited as authentic

B Internal Evidence1 Calls himself Peter (1Pet 11)2 Acquainted with the life of Christ and his teachings

1Pet 55 - allusion to Christ girding himself with a towel (John 135-20 31-35) 1Pet 52 - feed the flock (John 2115-17) 1Pet 51 - ldquowitness of the sufferings of Christrdquo (1Pet 318 41) Lingers over the person of Christ in his sufferings (1Pet 219-24)

VII BACKGROUNDA Asia Minor was highly heterogeneousB Asia Minor was prosperousC Religion was eclecticD Jews had privileged position in Asia Minor

VIIIPLACE OF WRITINGA Babylon (1 Pet 513) the city on the Euphrates not Rome B Babylon was the center of the Eastern Dispersion

IX OCCASIONA Ominous shadow of persecution was the occasion for the letterB After Nerorsquos persecution in Rome Christians lived in fear for their livesC The persecution was unofficial sporadic and social rather than legal (1 Pet 317 41)D The nature of the persecutions were slanderous attacks (1 Pet 41415 445 211-17 52-3)

1 Suffering is mentioned 16 times (cf 1Pet 16 219 31417 412-16 59)X THEMES

A Comfort for suffering ChristiansB Hope in time of trial C Cf 1Pet 167 212192021 313141617 4141214-1619 59-10

XI KEY VERSESA 1Pet 13-7

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 2 1 Peter Notes

John Andrew John Andrew

Philip Philip Philip Philip

Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Thomas

Thomas Matthew Matthew Bartholomew

Matthew Thomas Thomas Matthew

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

James (Son of Alphaeus)

Lebbaeus (surn Thaddeus)

Thaddeus Simon Simon

Simon Simon Judas (son of James)

Judas (son of James)

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot

ii MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (p 30-31) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition

4 He occupied a central place in the book of Acts (first 12 chapters)5 He married and lived in Capernaum6 He worked in fishing business with his brother Andrew (John 140 John 68))7 The Lord came to him in a special appearance after the resurrection (Luke 2434 I Cor 155)8 God used Peter to win 3000 souls to Christ on Pentecost (Acts 2)9 Peter had an important part in the first Church council in Acts 15 (AD 50 Peter is not mentioned

after this in the book of Acts)10 Paul refers to Peter in Galatians 118 211 1Cor 1-4 95

B Peter was literate but unschooled1 ldquoWhat qualified these men to be apostles Obviously it was not any intrinsic ability or

outstanding talent of their own They were Galileans They were not the elite Galileans were deemed low-class rural uneducated people They were commonersmdashnobodies But again they were not selected because they were any more distinguished or more talented than others in Israel at the timerdquo MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (pp 9-10) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition

2 ldquoGod chooses the humble the lowly the meek and the weak so that theres never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world Its not the man its the truth of God and the power of God in the man (We need to remind some preachers today of this Its not their cleverness or their personality The power is in the Wordmdashthe truth that we preachmdashnot in us) And apart from one Personmdashone extraordinary human being who was God incarnate the Lord Jesus Christmdashthe history of Gods work on earth is the story of His using the unworthy and molding them for His use the same careful way a potter fashions clay The Twelve were no exception to thatrdquo MacArthur John (2002-11-18) Twelve Ordinary Men (pp 11-12) Thomas Nelson Kindle Edition i Called from his trade as a fisherman to be a ldquofisher of men (Luke 51-11 Matthew 418-19

Mark 116-20)C Peterrsquos public ministry spanned 30 years and stretched from Jerusalem to Rome

1 Wrote two of the New Testament BookD Peter employed Silas as his secretary to write the letter (I Pet 512) Silas was a Roman citizen

(Acts 1636-37)E Parallels between I Peter and his sermons in Acts Cf I Peter 120 with Acts 223 cf I Peter 45 with

Acts 1042 Cf I Peter 27-8 and Acts 410-111 Peter 120 (NASB) Acts 223 (NASB)

382015382015 740 PM 3 1 Peter Notes

20 For He was foreknown before the foundation

of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

23 this Man delivered over by the

predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death

1 Peter 45 (NASB) 5

but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead

Acts 1042 (NASB) 42

And He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead

1 Peter 27-8 (NASB) 7

This precious value then is for you who believe but for those who disbelieve THESTONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone 8

and A STONE OF STUMBLING AND AROCK OF OFFENSE for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word and to this doom they were also appointed

Acts 410-11 (NASB) 10

let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified whom God raised from the deadmdashby this name this man stands here before you in good health 11

He is the STONE WHICH WASREJECTED by you THE BUILDERS butWHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERstone

1 In the last passage Psalm 11822 is quoted and applied to Christ to refer to his rejection by Jewish leaders

F I Peter is quoted extensively in early church history 1 This epistle was quoted extensively in the early church in such writings as the letters of

Polycarp Clement and Irenaeus 2 Martyred by Nero (Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Clement of Rome Dionysius of Corinth tell us

he suffered martyrdom) 3 Origin said he was crucified with his head downwards 4 He died AD 67-68

II DATEA AD 64B This was shortly before Nerorsquos persecution

After this the first five years of Nerorsquos reign were markedly virtuous later Romans gave them the name Quinquennium Neronis Possibly his tutor Seneca was able to dominate him in his youth or else he succumbed to the family curse of progressive dementia In any case from the age of twenty on his private behavior began to sink first towards overindulgence and towards insanity In 58 he fell in love with Poppea the wife of his friend Otho Nero sent Otho off to a distant province and invited Poppea to stay in the palace he was actually married already but ignored his wifersquos protests In 59 he decided to get rid of his mother for good He built a collapsible boat which was supposed to fold in upon her and drown her and then sent her off on a river cruise he was not yet mad enough to be unconcerned about appearances But she swam to shore much to his dismay according to one account he ordered a servant to stab her as soon as she got to land He then divorced his wife and then had her murdered and her head brought back to Poppea as a trophy He also declared a divorce between Poppea and her husband Otho and married her himself Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11937-11942) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In AD 64 a fire began in Rome and spread quickly through the poorer parts of the city A wind picked it up and strengthened it The city was crammed with dry wood houses

382015382015 740 PM 4 1 Peter Notes

shoulder to shoulder and the fire burned its way to a height never seen before ldquoThe disaster which the city then underwent had no parallel save in the Gallic invasionrdquo wrote Dio Cassius ldquoThe whole Palatine hill the theater of Taurus and nearly two thirds of the rest of the city were burned Countless persons perishedrdquo 12 Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11960-11964) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

The fire the insanity and the treason trials together impelled a group of senators to plan an assassination in April of 65 The Senate had not been this desperate since Caesarrsquos death over a hundred years before But the plan was discovered the conspirators put to death and Nero spiralled further into paranoia His old tutor Seneca himself learning that he was suspected of treason killed himself with his wife in their home to avoid torture and execution Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11971-11974) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

Around this time the persecution of Christians began Nero while putting to death all suspected conspirators against him needed to deflect attention from his own misdeeds Christians provided him with a convenient scapegoat for the fire as well But he also seems to have been motivated by genuine hatred Sulpicius Severusrsquos [c 363 ndash c 425] Chronicle says Nero could not by any means he tried escape from the charge that the fire had been caused by his orders He therefore turned the accusation against the Christians and the most cruel tortures were accordingly inflicted upon the innocent Nay even new kinds of deaths were invented so that being covered in the skins of wild beasts they perished by being devoured by dogs while many were crucified or slain by fire and not a few were set apart for this purpose that when the day came to a close they should be consumed to serve for light during the nighthellip At that time Paul and [the disciple] Peter were condemned to death the former being beheaded with a sword while Peter suffered crucifixion 14Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11974-11982) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In addition Nerorsquos behavior had gotten unbelievably worse He had kicked his pregnant wife to death in a rage and then he had ordered a young boy named Sporus who bore a resemblance to his dead wife castrated so that he could marry Sporus in a public ceremony Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11994-11995) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

1 Peter warns that persecution is imminent

III DESTINATIONA Peter wrote to the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor in what is modern day northern Turkey (1Pet

11 Acts 29-10) ndash See map of Paulrsquos missionary journeysB Many Jews lived in these provinces therefore many quotations from the Old Testament are found in I

Peter ldquoDiasporardquo (Jews who lived outside Palestine and yet looked on it as their native land)C To Christians everywhere (1Pet 118-19 23 210 24)D Peter was especially the apostle to the Jews (Gal 27-8)E The epistle was written predominantly to Hebrew Christians but also includes Gentile Christians

IV PURPOSEA The purpose of I Peter is to enable Christians to face persecution in the grace of God (1Pet 512) to

prepare them for suffering1 ldquofive major motifs in 1 Peter These are (1) the believers behavior (2) the believers unfair

circumstances (3) the believers deference (4) the believers motivation by Christs example and (5) the believers anticipation of future gloryrdquo (2013 Edition Dr Constables Notes on 1 Peter)

B A secondary purpose is to encourage believers to face persecution and suffering (1Pet 16-7 58-9)C Peter encourages believers to lift their eyes above present difficulties to Godrsquos grace He shows

them the hope ahead (1Pet 13) He points to the example of Christ (1Pet 221-23)V OUTLINE

382015382015 740 PM 5 1 Peter Notes

A Salutation (1Pet 11-2) A Author (1Pet 11a) B Addressees (1Pet 11b-2)B Perspective in Suffering (1Pet 13-210)

1 The perspective of hope (1Pet 13-12) 2 The perspective of the Word (1Pet 113-25) 3 The perspective of a new position (1Pet 21-10)

C The Pressures of Suffering (1Pet 211-411)1 Pressure of evil desires (1Pet 211-12)2 Pressure of the state (1Pet 213-17)3 Pressure of employment (1Pet 218-25)4 Pressure of the home (1Pet 31-7)5 Pressure of social life in the church (1Pet 38-12)6 Pressure of the world (1Pet 313-46)7 Pressure of service (1Pet 47-11)

D Prescriptions for Suffering (1Pet 412-511)1 Prescriptions for endurance in suffering (1Pet 412-19)2 Prescriptions for right attitudes in suffering (1Pet 51-11)

Attitudes of elders (1Pet 51-4) Attitudes of all believers (1Pet 55-10)

E Conclusion (1Pet 512-14)VI CANONICITY (PROOF OF WHY THIS BOOK BELONGS IN THE BIBLE)

A External Evidence (Note year indicates the earliest date for authors writing)1 Irenaeus quotes it (175 AD)2 Tertullian quotes it (190AD)3 Clement (Alexandria) quotes it (195 AD)4 Clement of Rome quotes it (96 AD)5 Polycarp quotes it (116 AD) 6 Epistle of Diognetus quotes it (117AD)7 Testament of the 12 patriarchs uses it (120 AD) 8 Papias uses it (120 AD) 9 Hermas uses it (130 AD) Unanimously cited as authentic

B Internal Evidence1 Calls himself Peter (1Pet 11)2 Acquainted with the life of Christ and his teachings

1Pet 55 - allusion to Christ girding himself with a towel (John 135-20 31-35) 1Pet 52 - feed the flock (John 2115-17) 1Pet 51 - ldquowitness of the sufferings of Christrdquo (1Pet 318 41) Lingers over the person of Christ in his sufferings (1Pet 219-24)

VII BACKGROUNDA Asia Minor was highly heterogeneousB Asia Minor was prosperousC Religion was eclecticD Jews had privileged position in Asia Minor

VIIIPLACE OF WRITINGA Babylon (1 Pet 513) the city on the Euphrates not Rome B Babylon was the center of the Eastern Dispersion

IX OCCASIONA Ominous shadow of persecution was the occasion for the letterB After Nerorsquos persecution in Rome Christians lived in fear for their livesC The persecution was unofficial sporadic and social rather than legal (1 Pet 317 41)D The nature of the persecutions were slanderous attacks (1 Pet 41415 445 211-17 52-3)

1 Suffering is mentioned 16 times (cf 1Pet 16 219 31417 412-16 59)X THEMES

A Comfort for suffering ChristiansB Hope in time of trial C Cf 1Pet 167 212192021 313141617 4141214-1619 59-10

XI KEY VERSESA 1Pet 13-7

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 3 1 Peter Notes

20 For He was foreknown before the foundation

of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

23 this Man delivered over by the

predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death

1 Peter 45 (NASB) 5

but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead

Acts 1042 (NASB) 42

And He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead

1 Peter 27-8 (NASB) 7

This precious value then is for you who believe but for those who disbelieve THESTONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone 8

and A STONE OF STUMBLING AND AROCK OF OFFENSE for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word and to this doom they were also appointed

Acts 410-11 (NASB) 10

let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified whom God raised from the deadmdashby this name this man stands here before you in good health 11

He is the STONE WHICH WASREJECTED by you THE BUILDERS butWHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERstone

1 In the last passage Psalm 11822 is quoted and applied to Christ to refer to his rejection by Jewish leaders

F I Peter is quoted extensively in early church history 1 This epistle was quoted extensively in the early church in such writings as the letters of

Polycarp Clement and Irenaeus 2 Martyred by Nero (Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Clement of Rome Dionysius of Corinth tell us

he suffered martyrdom) 3 Origin said he was crucified with his head downwards 4 He died AD 67-68

II DATEA AD 64B This was shortly before Nerorsquos persecution

After this the first five years of Nerorsquos reign were markedly virtuous later Romans gave them the name Quinquennium Neronis Possibly his tutor Seneca was able to dominate him in his youth or else he succumbed to the family curse of progressive dementia In any case from the age of twenty on his private behavior began to sink first towards overindulgence and towards insanity In 58 he fell in love with Poppea the wife of his friend Otho Nero sent Otho off to a distant province and invited Poppea to stay in the palace he was actually married already but ignored his wifersquos protests In 59 he decided to get rid of his mother for good He built a collapsible boat which was supposed to fold in upon her and drown her and then sent her off on a river cruise he was not yet mad enough to be unconcerned about appearances But she swam to shore much to his dismay according to one account he ordered a servant to stab her as soon as she got to land He then divorced his wife and then had her murdered and her head brought back to Poppea as a trophy He also declared a divorce between Poppea and her husband Otho and married her himself Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11937-11942) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In AD 64 a fire began in Rome and spread quickly through the poorer parts of the city A wind picked it up and strengthened it The city was crammed with dry wood houses

382015382015 740 PM 4 1 Peter Notes

shoulder to shoulder and the fire burned its way to a height never seen before ldquoThe disaster which the city then underwent had no parallel save in the Gallic invasionrdquo wrote Dio Cassius ldquoThe whole Palatine hill the theater of Taurus and nearly two thirds of the rest of the city were burned Countless persons perishedrdquo 12 Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11960-11964) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

The fire the insanity and the treason trials together impelled a group of senators to plan an assassination in April of 65 The Senate had not been this desperate since Caesarrsquos death over a hundred years before But the plan was discovered the conspirators put to death and Nero spiralled further into paranoia His old tutor Seneca himself learning that he was suspected of treason killed himself with his wife in their home to avoid torture and execution Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11971-11974) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

Around this time the persecution of Christians began Nero while putting to death all suspected conspirators against him needed to deflect attention from his own misdeeds Christians provided him with a convenient scapegoat for the fire as well But he also seems to have been motivated by genuine hatred Sulpicius Severusrsquos [c 363 ndash c 425] Chronicle says Nero could not by any means he tried escape from the charge that the fire had been caused by his orders He therefore turned the accusation against the Christians and the most cruel tortures were accordingly inflicted upon the innocent Nay even new kinds of deaths were invented so that being covered in the skins of wild beasts they perished by being devoured by dogs while many were crucified or slain by fire and not a few were set apart for this purpose that when the day came to a close they should be consumed to serve for light during the nighthellip At that time Paul and [the disciple] Peter were condemned to death the former being beheaded with a sword while Peter suffered crucifixion 14Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11974-11982) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In addition Nerorsquos behavior had gotten unbelievably worse He had kicked his pregnant wife to death in a rage and then he had ordered a young boy named Sporus who bore a resemblance to his dead wife castrated so that he could marry Sporus in a public ceremony Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11994-11995) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

1 Peter warns that persecution is imminent

III DESTINATIONA Peter wrote to the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor in what is modern day northern Turkey (1Pet

11 Acts 29-10) ndash See map of Paulrsquos missionary journeysB Many Jews lived in these provinces therefore many quotations from the Old Testament are found in I

Peter ldquoDiasporardquo (Jews who lived outside Palestine and yet looked on it as their native land)C To Christians everywhere (1Pet 118-19 23 210 24)D Peter was especially the apostle to the Jews (Gal 27-8)E The epistle was written predominantly to Hebrew Christians but also includes Gentile Christians

IV PURPOSEA The purpose of I Peter is to enable Christians to face persecution in the grace of God (1Pet 512) to

prepare them for suffering1 ldquofive major motifs in 1 Peter These are (1) the believers behavior (2) the believers unfair

circumstances (3) the believers deference (4) the believers motivation by Christs example and (5) the believers anticipation of future gloryrdquo (2013 Edition Dr Constables Notes on 1 Peter)

B A secondary purpose is to encourage believers to face persecution and suffering (1Pet 16-7 58-9)C Peter encourages believers to lift their eyes above present difficulties to Godrsquos grace He shows

them the hope ahead (1Pet 13) He points to the example of Christ (1Pet 221-23)V OUTLINE

382015382015 740 PM 5 1 Peter Notes

A Salutation (1Pet 11-2) A Author (1Pet 11a) B Addressees (1Pet 11b-2)B Perspective in Suffering (1Pet 13-210)

1 The perspective of hope (1Pet 13-12) 2 The perspective of the Word (1Pet 113-25) 3 The perspective of a new position (1Pet 21-10)

C The Pressures of Suffering (1Pet 211-411)1 Pressure of evil desires (1Pet 211-12)2 Pressure of the state (1Pet 213-17)3 Pressure of employment (1Pet 218-25)4 Pressure of the home (1Pet 31-7)5 Pressure of social life in the church (1Pet 38-12)6 Pressure of the world (1Pet 313-46)7 Pressure of service (1Pet 47-11)

D Prescriptions for Suffering (1Pet 412-511)1 Prescriptions for endurance in suffering (1Pet 412-19)2 Prescriptions for right attitudes in suffering (1Pet 51-11)

Attitudes of elders (1Pet 51-4) Attitudes of all believers (1Pet 55-10)

E Conclusion (1Pet 512-14)VI CANONICITY (PROOF OF WHY THIS BOOK BELONGS IN THE BIBLE)

A External Evidence (Note year indicates the earliest date for authors writing)1 Irenaeus quotes it (175 AD)2 Tertullian quotes it (190AD)3 Clement (Alexandria) quotes it (195 AD)4 Clement of Rome quotes it (96 AD)5 Polycarp quotes it (116 AD) 6 Epistle of Diognetus quotes it (117AD)7 Testament of the 12 patriarchs uses it (120 AD) 8 Papias uses it (120 AD) 9 Hermas uses it (130 AD) Unanimously cited as authentic

B Internal Evidence1 Calls himself Peter (1Pet 11)2 Acquainted with the life of Christ and his teachings

1Pet 55 - allusion to Christ girding himself with a towel (John 135-20 31-35) 1Pet 52 - feed the flock (John 2115-17) 1Pet 51 - ldquowitness of the sufferings of Christrdquo (1Pet 318 41) Lingers over the person of Christ in his sufferings (1Pet 219-24)

VII BACKGROUNDA Asia Minor was highly heterogeneousB Asia Minor was prosperousC Religion was eclecticD Jews had privileged position in Asia Minor

VIIIPLACE OF WRITINGA Babylon (1 Pet 513) the city on the Euphrates not Rome B Babylon was the center of the Eastern Dispersion

IX OCCASIONA Ominous shadow of persecution was the occasion for the letterB After Nerorsquos persecution in Rome Christians lived in fear for their livesC The persecution was unofficial sporadic and social rather than legal (1 Pet 317 41)D The nature of the persecutions were slanderous attacks (1 Pet 41415 445 211-17 52-3)

1 Suffering is mentioned 16 times (cf 1Pet 16 219 31417 412-16 59)X THEMES

A Comfort for suffering ChristiansB Hope in time of trial C Cf 1Pet 167 212192021 313141617 4141214-1619 59-10

XI KEY VERSESA 1Pet 13-7

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 4 1 Peter Notes

shoulder to shoulder and the fire burned its way to a height never seen before ldquoThe disaster which the city then underwent had no parallel save in the Gallic invasionrdquo wrote Dio Cassius ldquoThe whole Palatine hill the theater of Taurus and nearly two thirds of the rest of the city were burned Countless persons perishedrdquo 12 Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11960-11964) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

The fire the insanity and the treason trials together impelled a group of senators to plan an assassination in April of 65 The Senate had not been this desperate since Caesarrsquos death over a hundred years before But the plan was discovered the conspirators put to death and Nero spiralled further into paranoia His old tutor Seneca himself learning that he was suspected of treason killed himself with his wife in their home to avoid torture and execution Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11971-11974) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

Around this time the persecution of Christians began Nero while putting to death all suspected conspirators against him needed to deflect attention from his own misdeeds Christians provided him with a convenient scapegoat for the fire as well But he also seems to have been motivated by genuine hatred Sulpicius Severusrsquos [c 363 ndash c 425] Chronicle says Nero could not by any means he tried escape from the charge that the fire had been caused by his orders He therefore turned the accusation against the Christians and the most cruel tortures were accordingly inflicted upon the innocent Nay even new kinds of deaths were invented so that being covered in the skins of wild beasts they perished by being devoured by dogs while many were crucified or slain by fire and not a few were set apart for this purpose that when the day came to a close they should be consumed to serve for light during the nighthellip At that time Paul and [the disciple] Peter were condemned to death the former being beheaded with a sword while Peter suffered crucifixion 14Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11974-11982) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

In addition Nerorsquos behavior had gotten unbelievably worse He had kicked his pregnant wife to death in a rage and then he had ordered a young boy named Sporus who bore a resemblance to his dead wife castrated so that he could marry Sporus in a public ceremony Bauer Susan Wise (2007-03-17) The History of the Ancient World From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (Kindle Locations 11994-11995) W W Norton amp Company Kindle Edition

1 Peter warns that persecution is imminent

III DESTINATIONA Peter wrote to the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor in what is modern day northern Turkey (1Pet

11 Acts 29-10) ndash See map of Paulrsquos missionary journeysB Many Jews lived in these provinces therefore many quotations from the Old Testament are found in I

Peter ldquoDiasporardquo (Jews who lived outside Palestine and yet looked on it as their native land)C To Christians everywhere (1Pet 118-19 23 210 24)D Peter was especially the apostle to the Jews (Gal 27-8)E The epistle was written predominantly to Hebrew Christians but also includes Gentile Christians

IV PURPOSEA The purpose of I Peter is to enable Christians to face persecution in the grace of God (1Pet 512) to

prepare them for suffering1 ldquofive major motifs in 1 Peter These are (1) the believers behavior (2) the believers unfair

circumstances (3) the believers deference (4) the believers motivation by Christs example and (5) the believers anticipation of future gloryrdquo (2013 Edition Dr Constables Notes on 1 Peter)

B A secondary purpose is to encourage believers to face persecution and suffering (1Pet 16-7 58-9)C Peter encourages believers to lift their eyes above present difficulties to Godrsquos grace He shows

them the hope ahead (1Pet 13) He points to the example of Christ (1Pet 221-23)V OUTLINE

382015382015 740 PM 5 1 Peter Notes

A Salutation (1Pet 11-2) A Author (1Pet 11a) B Addressees (1Pet 11b-2)B Perspective in Suffering (1Pet 13-210)

1 The perspective of hope (1Pet 13-12) 2 The perspective of the Word (1Pet 113-25) 3 The perspective of a new position (1Pet 21-10)

C The Pressures of Suffering (1Pet 211-411)1 Pressure of evil desires (1Pet 211-12)2 Pressure of the state (1Pet 213-17)3 Pressure of employment (1Pet 218-25)4 Pressure of the home (1Pet 31-7)5 Pressure of social life in the church (1Pet 38-12)6 Pressure of the world (1Pet 313-46)7 Pressure of service (1Pet 47-11)

D Prescriptions for Suffering (1Pet 412-511)1 Prescriptions for endurance in suffering (1Pet 412-19)2 Prescriptions for right attitudes in suffering (1Pet 51-11)

Attitudes of elders (1Pet 51-4) Attitudes of all believers (1Pet 55-10)

E Conclusion (1Pet 512-14)VI CANONICITY (PROOF OF WHY THIS BOOK BELONGS IN THE BIBLE)

A External Evidence (Note year indicates the earliest date for authors writing)1 Irenaeus quotes it (175 AD)2 Tertullian quotes it (190AD)3 Clement (Alexandria) quotes it (195 AD)4 Clement of Rome quotes it (96 AD)5 Polycarp quotes it (116 AD) 6 Epistle of Diognetus quotes it (117AD)7 Testament of the 12 patriarchs uses it (120 AD) 8 Papias uses it (120 AD) 9 Hermas uses it (130 AD) Unanimously cited as authentic

B Internal Evidence1 Calls himself Peter (1Pet 11)2 Acquainted with the life of Christ and his teachings

1Pet 55 - allusion to Christ girding himself with a towel (John 135-20 31-35) 1Pet 52 - feed the flock (John 2115-17) 1Pet 51 - ldquowitness of the sufferings of Christrdquo (1Pet 318 41) Lingers over the person of Christ in his sufferings (1Pet 219-24)

VII BACKGROUNDA Asia Minor was highly heterogeneousB Asia Minor was prosperousC Religion was eclecticD Jews had privileged position in Asia Minor

VIIIPLACE OF WRITINGA Babylon (1 Pet 513) the city on the Euphrates not Rome B Babylon was the center of the Eastern Dispersion

IX OCCASIONA Ominous shadow of persecution was the occasion for the letterB After Nerorsquos persecution in Rome Christians lived in fear for their livesC The persecution was unofficial sporadic and social rather than legal (1 Pet 317 41)D The nature of the persecutions were slanderous attacks (1 Pet 41415 445 211-17 52-3)

1 Suffering is mentioned 16 times (cf 1Pet 16 219 31417 412-16 59)X THEMES

A Comfort for suffering ChristiansB Hope in time of trial C Cf 1Pet 167 212192021 313141617 4141214-1619 59-10

XI KEY VERSESA 1Pet 13-7

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 5 1 Peter Notes

A Salutation (1Pet 11-2) A Author (1Pet 11a) B Addressees (1Pet 11b-2)B Perspective in Suffering (1Pet 13-210)

1 The perspective of hope (1Pet 13-12) 2 The perspective of the Word (1Pet 113-25) 3 The perspective of a new position (1Pet 21-10)

C The Pressures of Suffering (1Pet 211-411)1 Pressure of evil desires (1Pet 211-12)2 Pressure of the state (1Pet 213-17)3 Pressure of employment (1Pet 218-25)4 Pressure of the home (1Pet 31-7)5 Pressure of social life in the church (1Pet 38-12)6 Pressure of the world (1Pet 313-46)7 Pressure of service (1Pet 47-11)

D Prescriptions for Suffering (1Pet 412-511)1 Prescriptions for endurance in suffering (1Pet 412-19)2 Prescriptions for right attitudes in suffering (1Pet 51-11)

Attitudes of elders (1Pet 51-4) Attitudes of all believers (1Pet 55-10)

E Conclusion (1Pet 512-14)VI CANONICITY (PROOF OF WHY THIS BOOK BELONGS IN THE BIBLE)

A External Evidence (Note year indicates the earliest date for authors writing)1 Irenaeus quotes it (175 AD)2 Tertullian quotes it (190AD)3 Clement (Alexandria) quotes it (195 AD)4 Clement of Rome quotes it (96 AD)5 Polycarp quotes it (116 AD) 6 Epistle of Diognetus quotes it (117AD)7 Testament of the 12 patriarchs uses it (120 AD) 8 Papias uses it (120 AD) 9 Hermas uses it (130 AD) Unanimously cited as authentic

B Internal Evidence1 Calls himself Peter (1Pet 11)2 Acquainted with the life of Christ and his teachings

1Pet 55 - allusion to Christ girding himself with a towel (John 135-20 31-35) 1Pet 52 - feed the flock (John 2115-17) 1Pet 51 - ldquowitness of the sufferings of Christrdquo (1Pet 318 41) Lingers over the person of Christ in his sufferings (1Pet 219-24)

VII BACKGROUNDA Asia Minor was highly heterogeneousB Asia Minor was prosperousC Religion was eclecticD Jews had privileged position in Asia Minor

VIIIPLACE OF WRITINGA Babylon (1 Pet 513) the city on the Euphrates not Rome B Babylon was the center of the Eastern Dispersion

IX OCCASIONA Ominous shadow of persecution was the occasion for the letterB After Nerorsquos persecution in Rome Christians lived in fear for their livesC The persecution was unofficial sporadic and social rather than legal (1 Pet 317 41)D The nature of the persecutions were slanderous attacks (1 Pet 41415 445 211-17 52-3)

1 Suffering is mentioned 16 times (cf 1Pet 16 219 31417 412-16 59)X THEMES

A Comfort for suffering ChristiansB Hope in time of trial C Cf 1Pet 167 212192021 313141617 4141214-1619 59-10

XI KEY VERSESA 1Pet 13-7

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 6 1 Peter Notes

B 1Pet 412-13XII KEY WORDS

A ldquoHoperdquo (5 times)B ldquoGloryrdquo (16 times - with cognates)C ldquoPreciousrdquo (5 times)D ldquoGracerdquo (10 times)E ldquoSufferingrdquo (16 times implied 6 times)

XIIIPECULARITIES A Parallelisms with other epistles (especially with Romans and Ephesians)B Emphasis on the suffering of Christ (1Pet 11119-21221-24 318 413 51)C Many Old Testament allusions and quotesD Excellent GreekE Primarily practical rather than doctrinal epistle

XIV MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSA Peterrsquos name occurs 210 times in the New Testament Paulrsquos name 162 times and all other apostles

142 timesB I Peter was copied by Silvanus (1Pet 512) Mark was with PeterC There are 5 chapters and 105 verses

SalutationI Introduction 1 Peter 11-2

A 1 Peter 11 what do you say to folks who are suffering or about to suffer more1 The author identifies himself as Peter

2 His title is apostle of Jesus Christ

i Called to discipleship (John 141-42)

ii Called to apostleship (Mark 313-20)

Grace Notes article Apostleship

The word apostle (apostolos) is from the Greek meaning an ambassador one who is sent a delegated authority The word was used for high-ranking naval officers in classical Greek times An apostle of Jesus Christ was the highest ranking official in the local churches 1 Cor 1228

Apostles of Jesus Christ were appointed by God the Father for the purpose of establishing churches and spreading new truth Eph 31-10 1 Notes from Eph 31-10

i vs 2 Believers have to hear the word of God in order to function in the Christian life1 ldquoBecause of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of

unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 43 4) the scope of the transforming work of salvation is not always understood even where such knowledge is boldly assumed and many religious leaders through this blindness have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel and have sincerely espoused another gospel of social reform ethical culture humanitarianism or morality In turning to these good but subordinate things they have revealed both by their careless rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and by their unbounded enthusiasm for these unworthy substitutes that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on themrdquoTrue Evangelism Winning Souls by Prayer

2 ldquoEvangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christmdashthat He died for our sins and rose againmdashwith the intent of inviting the listener to trust Christ Evangelism is telling the Good News for the purpose of inviting the sinner to salvationrdquo Cecil Douglas M (2003-06-01) The 7 Principles of an Evangelistic Life (Kindle Locations 406-407) Moody Publishers Kindle Edition

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 7 1 Peter Notes

ii Vs 3-5 The new doctrine Mystery Doctrine was communicated by the Apostle to them This doctrine forms the foundation of what follows Rom 1019-21 Rom 1625-26 Col 125-26 John 13-17

iii Vs 5 Information passes directly from the Lord to the Apostleiv Vs 5 Knowledge then came from the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Apostlesv vs 4 this is not just for information but to duplicate what the Apostles taught to

othersvi Vs 6 Includes Gentiles The Church Age had many new aspects which were

foreign to Jewish believers and now they were to teach this new Truthvii vs 7 the role of minister is a gift from God not a popularity contest or any of

the characteristics that get politicians elected these day We are all teachers based on the doctrines we have bothered to learn

viii Vs 8-9 the result of not teaching these new Truths is congregations that are weak and duped by any political philosophical or historical stupidity that comes along (Eph 414)

ix vs 10 Note that here the church (we believers) is expected to make the wisdom of God known to heavenly principalities and powers which is a reference to demons and leadership among fallen angels

x vs 11 The body of Christ (the church) is a university Christians are the professors (pun intended) Angels are the students The curriculum is the wisdom of God

xi Vs 9-11 see the long view of Jesus Christs plan The long running battle between angels and Satan for control of the Kosmos

There were both the spiritual gift and office of apostleship The spiritual gift was the divine enabling to function as an apostle Eph 411-16 1 Cor 1228 29 GAL 28 1 Notes from Eph 411-16

i Vs 11 Note the roles existent with a thriving body (1Peter 512)ii Vss 12-13 the foundation built by the Apostle results in a thriving church which

seeks to mature and by full in Christ (Phil 19-11 Col 19 1Cor 216 Phil 310 John 1423)

iii Vs 14 Satan seeks to frustrate the will of God1 The operational will of God (what God wants us to do) James 478 Gal

57

2 The mental or intellectual will of God (what God wants us to think) 1 Tim 41

3 The geographical will of God (where God wants us to be) 1 Thess 218

The office of apostleship was the authority to function as an apostle Rom 15 ACTS 125 GAL 28

In the classical Greek period (4th and 5th centuries BC) apostolos was used by Lysias and Demosthenes to refer to the commander of a naval expedition When the Athenians went to war there was a number of men qualified to command the fleet One of these was elected by lot and sent to the fleet to command it He was called apostolos

The apostles of Jesus Christ to Israel Luke 612-16 These were appointed by Jesus Christ according to the will of God the Father These men were authorized to announce to Israel that their Messiah was present and they were endowed with miraculous powers Luke 91 2

The apostles of Jesus Christ to the Church These included the eleven disciplesMatthias (Acts 126) Paul (Rom 11 etc) James the brother of Christ (Gal 119) Barnabas (Acts 1414)

Application The ldquosent onerdquo today is the missionary Everyone is a missionary Just as all believers are priests so all Christians are ldquosent onesrdquo (Acts 18 II Cor 518-20) Every

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 8 1 Peter Notes

person who has accepted Christ is an ambassador of Christ (Phil 319-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

The Qualifications of an Apostle

1 An apostle had to have the spiritual gift of apostleship The gift was provided by Jesus Christ after His ascension into Heaven Eph 411 The gift was imparted by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost 1 Cor 1211 Acts 2

2 The apostle received his gift and office by the sovereign decision of God the Father 1 Cor 11 1218 Eph 11 Col 11

3 The apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord Acts 122 1 Cor 91

The Credentials of an Apostle

1 An apostle was endowed with miraculous powers of miracles Heb 24 2 Cor 1212

2 An apostle had success in evangelism 1 Cor 92 2 Cor 31-3 Gal 27-9

3 An apostle had the capacity to suffer patiently 2 Cor 1212

iii Pillar of the church (Galatians 29)

iv ldquoOf Jesus Christrdquo ndash Indicates that Peterrsquos authority lies in Jesus Christ

Peter by himself does not have this authority

Establishes the common ground Peter has with his readers

The name Jesus Christ embodied the basic conviction that the human Jesus was the anointed Messiah the bringer of messianic redemption (Heibert)

Early in the gospels Christ is the name of the expected Messiah (Matt 24 John 120 etc) (Heibert)

3 His immediate audience are the chosen [elect] exiles of the dispersion ndash those dispersed in Roman Provinces of what is now western half of Turkey

i Refers back to the captivity of the Northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC by Assyria

ii Southern Kingdom in 586 BC by the Babylonians

iii Greek reads ldquoparepidēmos diasporardquo

παρεπίδημος parepidēmos par-ep-id-ay-mos adjdatpl slt3927gt a people A stranger sojourner not simply one who is passing through but a foreigner who has settled down however briefly next to or among the native people Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament (Heb 1113 1Pet 11 211)

διασπορά diaspora dee-as-por-ah nounsing slt1290gt refers to the dispersion of the Jews Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament (James 111Pet 11 John 735)

ldquoOne expresses a relationship to God the other a relationship to human society One denotes a privileged group (before God) the other a disadvantaged group (in society) Yet the two expressions do not limit or qualify each other The addressees are ldquostrangersrdquo because of (not despite) being chosen Their divine election is a sociological as well as theological fact for it has sundered them from their social world and made them like strangers or temporary residents in their respective cities and provinces This is Peterrsquos assumption and the basis on which he writes to themrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

iv Although the Jews who had settled in other lands had in some cases departed from the

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 9 1 Peter Notes

pious observances of their co-religionists in Palestine theirs was the exception and not the rule as even the successful zeal of so many to win proselytes to Judaism amply attestedA History of the Jewish Nation after the Destruction of Jerusalem under Titus

ldquohellipThe apparent inconsistency can only be resolved by candidly acknowledging that Peter is addressing certain communities of Gentile Christians as if they were Jews They are a ldquochosen peoplerdquo yet not simply ldquohonorary Jewsrdquo in the sense of claiming for themselves the privileges of ldquoIsraelrdquo without corresponding responsibilities The prerogatives are there but the responsibilities are there as well even the social stigma of being Jews in Hellenistic Asia Minor (or in Rome) has been transferred to the Gentile Christian congregations addressed in this epistle (see Introduction p liv)rdquo (WBC 1Peter)

v Application to us as dispersed or scattered among unbelievers Peter envisions their current situation as being similar to the Jewish dispersion (Phil 319-21 2Cor 519-21 Col 31 Eph 26)

4 The phrase ldquowho are chosenrdquo is not in the Greek text Itrsquos there to explain the beginning of the next verse

B Vs 2 These are folks who are saved in these regions

1 English versions add ldquowho are chosenrdquo or ldquoelectrdquo prior to the beginning of vs 2 or tack on ldquochosenrdquo to the end of vs 1

i Note that ESV adds nothing on the end of vs 1 reads closely to the Greek word order

ii The ldquoelectrdquo are the ldquochosen exilesrdquo mentioned in vs 1

ἐκλεκτός eklektosek-lek-tos slt1588gt is the quality of being ldquochosen elected set apartrdquo

iii God handpicked these believers scattered over Asia Minor

ldquoElectionrdquo is to special privilege Often as here the New Testament uses of the election of salvation It means election to eternal life ldquoElectionrdquo is a title of dignity which applies only to the Christian The preeminent thought in election is privilege not deliverance from judgment

This is not to say some never offered the gift of salvation All men are lost and in need of salvation This does say that election is a privilege not a escape from judgment

God makes the selection and our decision are involved in the process

Scripture teaches both selection and free will

Election DOES NOT mean that God chooses some to be saved and other to be lostJohn 111-13 John 540 John 637 Rev 2217

Application The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man Man however is free only in a relative sense or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things Therefore we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us

1 God has elected some to be saved but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not

ldquoElectrdquo simply says we are in the plan of God It anticipates the suffering the believer is to face I Peter deals with how the Christian relates to suffering from Godrsquos viewpoint

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 10 1 Peter Notes

Scripture observes election from a number of viewpoints

1 God elects us out of the world (John 1519)

2 He elects us to salvation (I Thess 14 5)

3 He chooses us to special service (Acts 915 I Peter 29)

4 He elects us to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 829)

5 He does all of this according to his own will (Ephesians 111)

6 Others Rom 833 Ephesians 13-5 2Thess 213-14 Col 312 Titus 11 2Peter 110 Rev 1714

Principle Nothing will ever touch us that is not in the plan of God Nothing is too great for the plan of God Godrsquos plan is greater than any suffering any heartache disappointment difficulty or loss that we might sustain Nothing is too great for his plan God has made provision for any disaster that we will ever face Whether we experience blessing in these disasters or not depends on your appropriation of his provisions In other words we understand his promises and lay hold of them

2 ldquoaccording tordquo =gt chosen by some mean or standard

3 ldquoForeknowledgerdquo comes from two Greek words ldquobeforerdquo and ldquoknowrdquo So God knows beforehand that the elect will come to him (Acts 223 Romans 829 112 I Peter 120)

i Note Foreknowledge is simply the knowledge that something will take place God sees all things at once from the beginning to the end However this pre-knowledge does not mean that he is the cause of all things he foresees will come to pass

ii Occurs seven times in the Bible two of which are in this chapter of 1Peter

iii Foreknowledge is basically looking at things from our point of view Inotherwords whatever I may learn or know in this instant God had foreknowledge of it

iv ldquoFirst of all it should be pointed out that there is a difference between saying God created in time and that He is the Creator of time There was no time before God made the temporal world time began with its creation God framed the ages (Heb 12 Rotherdam cf John 175) so God was ontologically prior to time but not chronologically prior to it Therefore this is no impediment to Gods creating a world in time without Himself being temporal No temporal continuum existed before He created the world hence it was not necessary for Him to choose a moment in time in which to create Rather from all eternity God chose to create the temporal continuum itself which has a beginningrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

v ldquoSometimes in one and the same text both Gods determination and human free choice are affirmed Again Peter said This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by Gods set purpose and foreknowledge and you put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 223) While God determined their actions from all eternity nevertheless those responsible for crucifying Jesus were free to perform these actionsmdashand they were morally responsible for them (see Volume 3 chapter 3)rdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndashVolume Two God Creation

ldquoIn summary the Bible declares that God is in complete control of everything that happens in the whole course of history This includes even free choices both good and evil which He ordained from all eternityrdquo Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

4 ldquoGod the Fatherrdquo is the first person of the trinity The Father is the one who plans in the trinity The Bible attributes the plan of our redemption to the Father The Word ascribes reconciliation to the Son Scripture ascribes sanctification to the Holy Spirit Each person of the trinity has their own role God chose us on the substructure of his omniscience Election is in his eternal will and purpose

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 11 1 Peter Notes

5 ldquoin sanctification of the Spiritrdquo

i Sanctify means to set apart ((Romans 1516 I Corinthians 611 II Thessalonians 213)

ii Here itrsquos the Holy Spirit that set apart these ldquoelectrdquo residents

1 The Holy Spirit convicts these folks while they did not Christ (John 167-11)

2 During the Church Age we attain a new position in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

i Within the whole divine enterprise of winning the lost there is no factor more vital than the work of the Holy Spirit in which He convinces or reproves the cosmos world respecting sin righteousness and judgmentChafers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

3 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Chafers Systematic Theology -Systematic Theology ndash Volume 6 Pneumatology

i The restrainer of the Cosmos world (2Thess 23-10)

ii The one who convicts the unsaved

iii Indwelling (Rom 88-9 Eph 113-14)

iv Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt 311 1Cor 1213)

6 ldquoTo obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with bloodrdquo

i Shows the blended outcome of the blended human and divine activity in achieving the intended result

ii ὑπακοή hypakoēhoop-ak-o-ay sltg5218gt to obey listen to something hearken Obedience compliance it stands alone as the manifestation of Christian faith Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii Bible refers to obedience in the context of salvation Acts 67 II Thessalonians 17-9 Romans 15 617 Galatians 31 I Peter 417 II Thessalonians 179)

iv Obedience is a standardized way in which a person enters into the plans of God Acts 1631 John 2031)

v The end in view is obedience

vi ldquosprinkling with bloodrdquo (Ex 243-8)

This is the basis of our forgiveness (John 1011 Colossians 120 I Corinthians 1127 Hebrews 91114 101719 1320 I John 17 Revelation 15 5910 714 1220)

vii ldquoSuch an understanding helps explain why obedience precedes rather than follows the ldquosprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christrdquo The latter phrase gives concreteness and vividness to Peterrsquos brief glance at Christian conversionrdquo (WBC 1Peter)

7 ldquoMay grace and peace be yours in the fullest measurerdquo

i χάρις charis sltG5463gt ldquograce favorrdquomdashthe acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

ii εἰρήνη eirēnēi-ray-nay sltG1515gt In classical Gk eirene describes a situation that results from the cessation of hostilities or war and can also refer to the state of law and order that makes the fruits of prosperity possible eirene can also characterize peaceful conduct toward others Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

iii Categories of Grace

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 12 1 Peter Notes

COMMON GRACE or Grace which is common to all mankind saved or unsaved such as the rain which falls on the just and unjust

SAVING GRACE the ldquogift of God lest any man should boastrdquo namely grace applied to the lost sinner

LIVING GRACE the provision of God the Father for the needs of the believer for the rest of his lifetime God provides everything that is needed for a prosperous happy life for any believer who has ldquotasted gracerdquo and avails himself of ldquomore gracerdquo

SURPASSING GRACE the Grace of God in eternity what we will receive from God because of salvation what we will receive from God as crowns or rewards to be laid at the feet of Christ

iv God operates in four spheres of grace1 Salvation (Eph 28-9)2 Restoration (1John 19)3 Spirituality (Eph 518)

i Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)1 The Holy Spirit lives permanently in every Christian and is automatic at

salvation Rom 89 Gal 32 46 1 Cor 619 20 Eph 113-142 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is called the ldquounctionrdquo in 1 John 220 and

ldquoanointingrdquo in 1John 227 These are synonyms for ldquoindwellingrdquo3 The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 737-39

John 1416 174 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the indwelling

of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship Rom 810 2

Cor 1355 The Holy Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of function Gal 5226 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary because of the spiritual

conflict in ldquohigh placesrdquo (spiritual warfare) John 737-39ii Filling of the Holy Spirit (From Eph 518 Grace Notes)

1 Maximum fellowship with Christ comes through the function of the Holy Spirit in edification and grace living (Why)

2 The Filling is a function of the believerrsquos volition and may be lost through carnality Eph 430

3 The Filling is commanded Eph 518 Because it is a command it is obvious that the Lord expects us to take some action to be filled That action is repentance and confession

4 The Filling is regained through confession of Sin 1John 19 Prov 1235 The Holy Spirits functions in the intake and application of Bible truth John

1426 1612-15 1Cor 29-16 1 John 227 This is the ldquohow tordquo of edification

4 Maturity (Heb 56)i ldquoChrists entry into this kingly priesthood is best conceived as inaugurated by his

resurrection after accomplishment of human obedience whereby he fitted himself for priesthood Before this he was the destined High Priest but not the ldquoperfectedrdquo High Priest ldquoever living to make intercession for usrdquo It is not during his life on earth but after his exaltation that he is spoken of as the High Priest of mankind In his sufferings and death he was consecrated to his eternal officerdquo Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 21 Thessalonians-James

v God is free to bestow His grace on us because Christ satisfied his absolute demands God gives grace in prayer (Heb 416) Fruit (1Cor 1510 2Cor 611 98) Suffering (2Cor 129) Power (2Tim 21)

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 13 1 Peter Notes

Growth (2Pet 318) Stability (1Pet 512) Restoration (Heb 1215)

vi Two kinds of peace1 Peace with God (Rom 51 Eph 214)2 Peace of God (Phil 47 Isa 263-4)

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 14 1 Peter Notes

Perspective on Suffering (1 Peter 13-210)

I The Perspective of hope (1Peter 13-12)

A Though the whole is constructed as a grammatical unit its contents readily fall into three divisions Viewed from a chronological perspective Farrar remarks that the passage contains a comprehensive glance at the future (3-5) the present (6-9) and the past (10-12)Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

B Using a Trinitarian perspective Hart notes that vv 3-5 have as their central figure the Father vv 6-9 the Son and vv 10-12 the Spirit who is at last given who inspired the prophets of old and now inspires the Christian missionaries Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

C Looked at from the standpoint of the great salvation that Peter celebrated he gave a description of that salvation (vv 3-5) reminded his readers of their paradoxical experiences in connection with it (vv 6-9) and pointed to three realities that magnify it (vv 10-12) Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

D Vs 3-5 The Believerrsquos hope

1 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a dead lifeless hope It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir up our thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave not the kind of hope that gives us meaning and motivation for life but is dead and lifeless beyond this life Despite the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope these have no meaning beyond the graverdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

2 ldquo=gt A living hope means that it is not a probable hope it is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to passrdquo (The Preachers Outline amp Sermon Bible)

3 Vs 3

ldquoBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christrdquo

i εὐλογητός eulogētosyoo-log-ay-tos sltG2128gt means blessed or praised Peter starts off with a doxology See also Eph 13 and 2Cor 13)

ii The one article with the two nouns the God and Father (ho theos kai patēr) denotes a two-sided relation of the Father to the incarnate ChristHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

a Further arguments supporting Trinitarian view Eph 117 Mark 1534 John 2017 John 1428 1 Cor 1524-28 Heb 11-4)

iii This should be something we all do break out in praise for God

ldquoaccording to His great mercyrdquo

i κατ ἰδίαν katrsquo idian sltG2596gt means ldquoaccording to ones ownrdquo or ldquoaccording to ones standardrdquo

ii πολύς polys pol-oos sltG4183gt Many much in the sing and with nouns implying number or multitude great large Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

iii ἔλεος eleos el-eh-os s ltG1656gt means mercy pity or compassion is the outward manifestation of pity it assumes need on the part of him who receives it and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows itrdquo Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Eph 24 Titus 35 Luke 172 Rom 159 Luke 150 Heb 416)

iv The phrase in his great mercy (ho kata to polu autou eleos) underlines that Gods act in causing us to be born anew was in harmony with His compassionate nature In (kata with the accusative according to) pictures His action as according to or in full keeping with His character as a God of mercy In the original this phrase

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 15 1 Peter Notes

stands between the article and the participle giving the phrase an attributive force He acted in keeping with His nature as a God of great mercy Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peteri Principle Mercy is Gods Grace in action towards us

v How great is ldquogreatrdquo (II Samuel 2414 Micah 718 Ephesians 24 Lamentations 322 23 Romans 121 Titus 35 I Timothy 113 I Timothy 116 Jude 21)

vi Principle Gods mercy is great enough to meet us no matter how guilty we may be a Mercy implies guilt Abundant mercy implies abundant guilt God shows his

abundant mercy in the death of Christ for our sins

ldquohas caused us to be born againrdquo or ldquohas given us a new birthrdquo (HCSB)

i ἀναγεννάω anagennaō an-ag-en-nah-o sltG313gt be begotten again regenerated ii Principle Our salvation is a reason to extol God (Luke 1020)

ldquoto a living hoperdquo

i The NT uses hope with the concept of resurrection Acts 236

ii with the idea of promise (Acts 1332 266-7 Gal 55)

a To be judged for the hope (eprsquo elpidimdashkrinomenos) The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (Acts 1332) Page calls Acts 266-8 a parenthesis in the course of Pauls argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism He does resume his narrative in Acts 269 but Acts 266-8 are the core of his defense already presented in Galatians 3 Romans 9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham (Word Pictures in the New Testament)

b From the Pulpit Commentary

1 ldquoRighteousness is a great treasure It is a worthy object of desire It is better than any rewards it may entail To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to feel the deepest and purest appetite for the best of all spiritual possessions

2 Righteousness is not yet enjoyed It is a hope Even the Christian who has the faith that admits to it has not yet the full heritage The longer we live the higher does the magnificent ideal tower above us until it is seen reaching up to heaven Some righteousness we enter into with the first effort of faith but the foretaste is only enough to make us yearn for more

3 We may confidently hope for righteousness It is a hope not a mere surmise that urges us forward We are encouraged by the promises of the gospel It is a grand inspiring thought that every Christian has the prospect of ultimate victory over all sin and ultimate attainment of pure and spotless goodness Pulpit Commentary The - The Pulpit Commentary ndash Volume 20 Galatians-Colossians

iii for confidence in our standing with the Lord (Col 123)

1 Pauls statement to the Colossians seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of our future glory (see Col 123) Is it possible for a believer to lose his salvation No the if clause does not suggest doubt or lay down a condition by which we keep up our salvation

2 Paul used an architectural image in this versemdasha house firmly set on the foundation The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes and the word translated moved away can mean earthquake stricken Paul was saying If you are truly saved and built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ and He has saved you

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 16 1 Peter Notes

3 In other words we are not saved by continuing in the faith But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor 135 2 Peter 110ff)Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) -New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary ndash New Testament Volume 2

iv fulfillment of the promises of the Gospel (Rom 52)

v confidence that we will be in the presence of God (Titus 213)

vi Principle The Christian has hope beyond the grave God is the author not the subject of hope

vii Peter uses the word ldquolivingrdquo six time (1Pet 13 23 24-5 r5-6) Living means that our hope is real

viii True life God life is not destructible (1Cor 1519 1Tim 48 Mark 1017 Rom 27 Gal 68)

ldquothrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadrdquo

i The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation for the Christians hope It is the assurance of our own resurrection Jesus resurrection and our resurrection are inseparably connected (Colossians 31)

ii From the dead means out from the dead Jesus was the first to come out from among the dead Those who believe in him will come later Daniel 12 and John 5 speak of resurrection of believers from the dead At that point God inducts the Christian into the eternal state

a Jesus predicted that he would rise again (John 219 21 1017 18)

b The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as the sequel to his death (Acts 223 24 315 410 530 1730 31 2622 23 Romans 64 74 81134 109 149 I Corinthians 614 1520 153-5)

c This is what gives us hope The grave is not the bleak barren terminus of all human existence for the Christian Death is not a leap into the dark For the Christian death is a servant that leads us into the presence of the Lord of Glory People may place our bodies into caskets and graves We are in neither (II Corinthians 58)

1 Our soul goes instantaneously automatically as soon as death strikes our body into the presence of the Lord That is why we do not sorrow as those who are not Christians (I Thessalonians 413)

d Principle We do not worship a dead man

4 Application Because Jesus rose from the dead we will rise from the dead as well Because Christ was raised from the dead so will we His resurrection guarantees our resurrection The personal significance of the resurrection of Christ for us is that we have hope He will usher us into his presence one day This is the crown of the Christian experience

4 Verse 4

ldquoto obtain an inheritancerdquo

i The Christian falls heir to all the Christrsquos inheritance in heaven Romans 816-17 Hebrews 11-2

a Grace Notes on Rom 816-17

b Our double heirship First as heirs of God because we are children of God

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 17 1 Peter Notes

c Secondly we are heirs because we are in Christ and we share with Him all He is and all He has And it is from this that Paul makes a specific application We will share in the sufferings of Christ

d There is perhaps no greater time in our lives that faith is sharpened concentrated clearly realized than under suffering

e When you can do nothing about the pressure persecution and problems you are under the only thing you have to hold to in faith in God and what He is doing

1) All problems in life are not designed to be solved [2Cor 121-7]

2) God gives mankind freewill and we suffer as a result of that freewill [James 114-15]

3) God allows sin to continue in the world and we suffer the results of sin [We ask endless questions about why something happened with at times much emotion Sometimes we even think God is punishing us because the results are not what we want or deserve ]

4) We live outside the Garden of Eden and in an imperfect world full of disasters and disease and we suffer as a result [Charles Stanley Advancing through Adversityrdquo God never intended for man to experience the adversity and sorrow brought about by our forefatherrsquos sin Death was not a part of Godrsquos original plan for man Death is an interruption It is Godrsquos enemy as well as manrsquos It is the opposite of all He desired to accomplishrdquo]

5) God allows us to suffer as He allowed His Son to suffer [John 92-3 ndash The manrsquos blindness was from God]

6) In the suffering we face we are drawn not to solutions but to faith

7) In the sufferings we face we are drawn not to a system or a mechanic or often not even a promise but a Person

ii Out inheritance is our title to future eternal fellowship with God Acts 2032 Titus 37 Hebrews 915 Ephesians 111-14 Acts 2618

iii Note that this phrase is parallel to ldquoa living hoperdquo phrase Indicates the second aspect our salvation (Hiebert)

iv New Testament Noun κληρονομία (kleronomia) GK 3100 (S ltG2817gt) 14x kleronomia refers to an ldquoinheritancerdquo which in the OT could be land (Acts 75 Heb 118) In the gospels this term is used 4x for what is available to divide after someonersquos death (Mt 2138 Mk 127 Lk 1213 2014)

v The inheritance of the Christian however is salvation (Acts 2032 [Rom 816-17] Eph 118 Heb 95) which is given not by law (Gal 318) but by faith This inheritance is the reward of the believer (Col 324 Eph 55) ldquoimperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for yourdquo (1 Pet 14) The Holy Spirit himself is the ldquodeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Godrsquos possessionrdquo (Eph 114) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

a From Grace Notes on Col 324 ldquoWhatever job to which God called us he wants us to serve him with it Our work may subsist as a menial job we may dislike our work Still God wants us to serve him heartily in that job He wants us to throw ourselves in our work Serving the Lord at our job gives dignity to what we do We may sweep floors wash dishes change diapers or empty the trash We may work at an office where everyone cuts corners and takes long coffee breaks but we break that standard The Christian does not operate on the same standards as the herd Our boss is in heavenrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 18 1 Peter Notes

b

ldquowhich is imperishablerdquo

i ἄφθαρτος aphthartos af-thar-tos sltG862gt incorruptible immortal imperishable undying enduring (Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

ii Sample uses 1Cor 925 1552 1Pe 14 123 34

iii Note the contrast to earthly inheritances which do perish and do not endure(Matt 620)

iv It is set up by a incorruptible God (Rom 123 1Tim 117)

ldquoand undefiledrdquo

i ἀμίαντος amiantos am-ee-an-tos sltG283gt undefiled free from contamination Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Heb 726 134 Jas 127 1Pet 14)

ldquowill not fade awayrdquo

i Our inheritance is untouched by death unstained by evil and unimpaired by time Revelation 214

ii ἀμάραντος amarantos am-ar-an-tos sltG263gt will not fade away ldquoreserved in heaven for yourdquo or ldquokept in heaven for yourdquo (HCSB)

i God promises to preserve our inheritance (Matt 512 619-20 Luke 1233)ii τηρέω tēreōtay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch

Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words (Matthew 2736 Acts 126 John 210 1Peter 14 1Corinthians 737)

iii ὑμᾶς hymashoo-mas sltG5209gt 2d person personal pron you yourselves YouComplete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndashNew Testament

iv For you applies the assurance directly to the readers Peters expression not the simple dative of advantage (humin) but rather a prepositional form (eis humas) brings out the implication that this inheritance was intended for his readers from the very beginning It assures that the trials and sufferings they were experiencing on behalf of their faith would not undermine the certainty of their coming inheritance they would possess it in due time Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

v τηρέω tēreō tay-reh-o sltG5083gt to watch over preserve keep watch Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words The perfect tense denotes that the inheritance was placed under safekeeping and that the preservation is still in force and the passive implies that God is the One who preserves Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

vi It is immune from the disasters that often befall an inheritance on earth Its preservation in heaven (en ouranois) adds to the assurance of safety It is safely beyond the reach of all destructive forces Its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not merely the believers arrival in heaven Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

Thoughts about verse 4i MacDonald remarks its preservation in heaven indicates that the inheritance is not

merely the believers arrival in heaven Hiebertrsquos Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ii The three negative terms indicate that in seeking to describe the heavenly inheritance Peter could only tell us what it is not like in terms of our present life Hieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

iii See notes from 1Cor 151-2 from 1st Corinthian Study by Robert L Bolender for a complete discussion of the Greek tenses and vocabulary

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 19 1 Peter Notes

a The principles of standing and standing firm are critical for the Christian Way of Life 1) Positionally believers are ldquohaving stood onesrdquo (Rom 52 1st Cor 151)2) Experientially believers must fight the good fight standing firm (1st Cor

1012 1613 Gal 51 Eph 611 13 14 Col 412 1st Thess 38 2nd

Thess 215) 3) Ultimately all believers will stand for reward (Rom 144 Jude 24)

b Salvation can entail widely different issues 1) Positionally salvation references the believerrsquos conversion from spiritual

death to eternal life (Rom 116 1st Cor 121 922 Eph 113 25 8 1st

Tim 115 Tit 35) 2) Experientially salvation references deliverance from operational death to

the abundant life (2nd Cor 16 710 Phil 212 1st Tim 416 Heb 725 Jas 121 520)

3) Ultimately salvation references our victorious homecoming to the Father (1st Cor 315 2nd Tim 418 1st Pet 15)

4) Rescue from temporal dangers (Mt 825 1430 2740 42 49 Phil 119)

v Verse 5

ldquoWho are protectedrdquo ndash carries the idea of a military garrison surrounding something to guard it

1 φρουρέω phroureōfroo-reh-o sltG5432gt To keep guard preserve spiritually (Phil 47 1 Pet 15) Complete Word Study Dictionary The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary ndash New Testament

2 ldquoPresentPassive φρουρουμένουςrdquo tense indicates God continuously guards our salvation

3 The onus for keeping our salvation is upon God (2Tim 112)

i Barclay comments ldquoThe typical picture in the word is that of a man going upon a journey and depositing with and entrusting to a friend his most precious and valued possessionshellip To be faithful to such a trust and to return such a deposit unharmed were amongst the highest and most sacred obligations which ancient thought recognizedrdquo (WBC Volume 46 Pastoral Epistles)

ldquoby the power of Godrdquo

1 δύναμις dynamis doo-nam-is i Words deriving from the stem δυνα- all have the basic meaning of ldquobeing ablerdquo

of ldquocapacityrdquo in virtue of an ability (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Bundle)ii Godrsquos power strengthens and keeps believers (Eph 316 20 Col 111 2 Tim

17-8 1 Pet 15 2 Pet 13) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

2 The Combined Argument for Gods Complete Providence hellip Thus combined it goes like this An omnibenevolent God desires to provide complete providential care for all His creatures An omniscient God knows all the providential care that is needed for all His creatures An omnisapient God knows the best way to provide this care An omnipotent God has the ability to execute all His desires that are possible Consequently such a God will provide all providential care for all His creatures in the best way possible To summarize any denial of Gods full and complete providence is in principle a denial of one or more of these attributes of God for if God is all-knowing all-wise all-powerful and all-loving then He will by nature be all-caring In addition to the nature of God other arguments for providence include the nature of created things the order in the world divine prediction (which is only possible if He is in control) Gods blessing on good and

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 20 1 Peter Notes

judgment on evil and the human conscience (which is based in the God-given moral law informing us that good should be sought and evil avoided) Geislers Systematic Theology - Systematic Theology ndash Volume Two God Creation

3 Key passages regarding Godrsquos power Dt 324 Mk 1027 Lk 617-19 1Co 118 2 Co 47 Re 1116-17 (Logos)i The power of God (dunamis theou) So in Romans 116 No other message

has this dynamite of God (1 Cor 420) Gods power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages now as always No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time Word Pictures in the New Testament

4 Baker Encyclopedia (p 1743) Poweri ldquoAbility to do things by virtue of strength skill resources or authorization In

the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT there are several different words used for power What the Bible says about power may be subsumed under four headings (1) the unlimited power of God (2) the limited power God gives to his creatures (3) the power of God seen in Jesus Christ (4) the power of God (by the Holy Spirit) in the lives of his peoplerdquo

ii The Unlimited Power of God God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him Much that the Bible says is summed up in the words of 1 Chronicles 2911ndash12 addressed to God in praise hellip Using human terms the OT often speaks of Godrsquos ldquomighty handrdquo and his ldquooutstretched armrdquo both being used for the power of God in action (Ex 66 74 Ps 442 3) His power is seen in creation (Ps 656 Is 4026 Jer 1012 275) in his rule over the world (2 Chr 206) in his acts of salvation and judgment (Ex 156 Dt 268) and in all that he does for his people (Ps 1116)1 The NT as well as the OT speaks of the mighty power of God Ephesians

119 speaks of ldquothe immeasurable greatness of his powerrdquo and the words of Jesus in Matthew 2664 show that the word could be substituted for the very name of God when he said that the Son of man would be seen ldquoseated at the right hand of Powerrdquo

iii The Limited Power God Gives to His Creatures Animals have power as is particularly evident in the wild ox the horse and the lion (Jb 3911 19 Prv 3030) There is power in wind and storm thunder and lightning Power is given to men physical strength (Jgs 165 6) power to fight (Jgs 612) and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 3129 Prv 327 Mi 21) Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 131) The Bible also speaks of the power of angels (2 Pt 211) and of spiritual beings known as ldquoprincipalities and powersrdquo Certain powers are given to Satan (see Jb 16ndash12 21ndash6) Sin evil and death are allowed to have some power over men (Hos 1314 Lk 2253 Rom 39) All of these however have only limited power and God is able to give his people strength to conquer all these powers when arrayed against them He can save them from the power of animals (Dn 627 Lk 1019) and from the power of men over them To Pilate Jesus said ldquoYou would have no power over me unless it had been given you from aboverdquo (Jn 1911) He is able to deliver men from the power of sin and death from Satan and from all the spiritual forces of evil (2 Cor 104 Eph 610ndash18) The ldquoruler of this worldrdquo could ultimately have no power over Christ (Jn 1430) and so cannot have power over those who rely on him

iv The Power of God Seen in Jesus Christ The Gospels bear frequent witness to the power of Christ and in the preaching in the Acts of the Apostles reference is made similarly to this Power was shown in his miracles (Mt 1120 Acts 222) in his work of healing and exorcism (Lk 436 517 619 Acts 1038) Power is shown supremely in his resurrection Jesus speaks of his power to give up his life and power to take it again (Jn 1018) but the NT speaks most frequently of the power of God the Father shown in the raising of his Son from the dead (Rom 14 Eph 119 20) In the end he will be seen coming ldquoon the clouds of

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 21 1 Peter Notes

heaven with power and great gloryrdquo (Mt 2430) With regard to his human life on earth however it may be noted in the light of what follows that he lived and did his mighty works in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 414 Acts 1038)

v The Power of God in the Lives of His People In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong ldquoHe gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strengthrdquo (Is 4029) so that they ldquogo from strength to strengthrdquo (Ps 847 see also Ps 6835 1383) We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 38) and kings (1 Sm 210 Ps 211) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 96 112 Mi 54) but to all Godrsquos people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 495) When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as ldquothe power of God for salvation to every one who has faithrdquo (Rom 116) ldquoTo all who receivedrdquo Jesus Christ ldquowho believed in his name he gave power to become children of Godrdquo (Jn 112) In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 68) inner strength to live in his service (Eph 316) power to be his witnesses (Lk 2449 Acts 18) power to endure suffering (2 Tm 18) power that enables for ministry (Eph 37) power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 129) power through prayer (Jas 516) and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 15) Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 312) he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 2818ndash20) FRANCIS FOULKES

ldquothrough faithrdquo

1 The means of our salvation is the faith that we place in the death of Christ to pay for our sins (Ephesians 28-9 Romans 51 Galatians 216 326 1 Cor 10)

2 From the human side faith is the means that activates Gods preserving power in the life of the Christian God deals with Christians as free moral agents and asks that we voluntarily commit ourselves to Him for our preservation Our response of faith gives Him His due place and keeps us in our place of confidence in Him according to His word The proper human response is to recognize our own inadequacy and in every circumstance by faith ask Him to shield us by providing a way of escape (1 Cor 1013) Like Peter on the night before the crucifixion we too will fall whenever we self-confidently presume that we can keep ourselvesHieberts Commentaries - Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquofor a salvationrdquo

1 Godrsquos power saves us from the penalty power and presence of sin

2 This is deliverance from the power of sin in three ways

i Past Jesus by his blood paid for all the sins we ever committed and washed them away (Titus 35)

ii Present We are in the state of being saved from the control of sin in our daily life (I Corinthians 118)

iii Future We will one day be ultimately saved from all moral and physical evil (Romans 823 24)

ldquoready to be revealed in the last timerdquo

1 ἕτοιμος hetoimoshet-oy-mos sltG2092gt ready prepared =gt God will protect our salvation until the Lord comes backi He will tear downdestroy the siege Satan has put on us

2 ἀποκαλύπτω apokalyptōap-ok-al-oop-to sltG601gt signifies to uncover unveilThe wraps will be taken off at the rapture (1Thess 313 Jude 14 Rev 1914)

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 22 1 Peter Notes

1Thess 311-13 ndash When the rapture comes Godrsquos desire is for us to demonstrate holiness and love for one another before the end time Another example of experiential salvation

Jude 14 - Jude quotes Enoch regarding the end time

Rev 1911-16 - Description of the last battle

3 It is Godrsquos purpose to show off His bride (the church) who is pure because of Christ(James 11-12)

4 Summary of the doctrine of eternal security (vv 1Pet 14-5)

The Father The Father is able to keep us He is sovereign and supreme No power can rise against him Romans 831-34 38-39 (God lists every spiritual and natural enemy here no enemy has enough power to attack our salvation)

Jesus Christ John 1027-28 (nothing [neuter] can pluck us out of his hand) Romans 425 81 Ephesians 26 Hebrews 725 I John 212

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit seals our salvation I Corinthians 619 1213 Ephesians 113-14 430 God seals us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 430) No one can break that seal The seal is a person ndash the Holy Spirit

1 I Corinthians 615-19 ndash We are joined with the Lord our bodies are a Holy Temple

2 1 Cor 1212-13 ndash The Holy Spirit cleans us so we can stand positionally in Christ

3 Ephesians 113-14 ndash God guarantees that faith is enough to have eternal life He seals this with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

4 Eph 430 ndash Even though we are sealed we are cautioned about lsquogrievingrsquo the Holy Spirit

Eternal Security passages John 647 Phil 16 2Tim 418 Heb 59 725 122 Jude 1 24-25

1 John 647 ndash Everyone who believes has eternal life

2 Phil 16 ndash God will not give up on us When we are saved we are a ldquounfinished workrsquo

3 2Tim 418 ndash The Lord rescued Paul experientially and continued to do so until Paul died

4 Heb 58-10 ndash Obeying the gospel leads to salvation

5 Heb 722-28 ndash Once in for all salvation entitles us to draw new to Christ since He is a high priest

6 Heb122 ndash Now that we are saved we can look to Jesus to continually save us experientially

7 Jude 1 24-25 ndash Similar to James 11-12 and Heb 122

Summary (The Preachers Outline Sermon amp Bible)

1 The source of hope is God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3)2 The inheritance of hope (v 4)3 The assurance of hope (v 5)

vi Verse 6

ldquoIn this you greatly rejoicerdquo ( in view of realities of 1Pet 13-5)

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 23 1 Peter Notes

1 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o sltG21gt to rejoice greatly to exult here conveys the idea of jubilant exultation spiritual gladness Sample uses Lk 147 Acts 1634 Rev 197 Mt 512 1Pet 413 Jude 24 Heb 19 Lk 1021i ldquoἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ldquothen you [will] rejoicerdquo The answers to two questions raised

by these introductory words largely determine the interpretation of vv 6ndash9 as a whole First what is the antecedent of ἐν ᾧ Second is ἀγαλλιᾶσθε to be understood as a present imperative a present indicative with a present meaning or a present indicative with a future meaning The two questions are closely intertwined neither can be answered without giving attention to both1rdquo

ii ldquoThe best option remains the present indicative with a future meaning In ldquoconfident assertions regarding the futurerdquo especially prophecies (BDF sect323) a present tense can stand for the future If ldquothe time element is established by the contextrdquo (in this instance ἐν ᾧ linked to the preceding ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ) the present ldquobecomes semantically a lsquozerorsquo tense taking a future meaning from the contextrdquo (Reynolds 69) Such an understanding accounts for ἀγαλλιᾶσθε in v 6 and will be found applicable in v 8 as well It is this interpretive insight not a primitive textual tradition that most plausibly explains the persistence of the future verb forms exultabitis and gaudebitis in Latin translations of vv 6 and 8(especially v 8 see Note a and cf also Origenrsquos interpretation in Exhortation to Martyrdom 39)2rdquo

2 In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church It is a quality and not simply an emotion grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps 1611 Phil 44 Rom 1513) which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth (1 Pet 18) and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cfRev 197)3 Ps 168-11 ndash Quoted twice in Acts 225-28 131335 From a eschatological

sense death is not the final stop nor the end of our relationship with the Lord Phil 41-5 ndash Have joy in life even if we cannot have our own way Rom 154-13 ndash Scriptures provided a source of perseverance and

encouragement so that we continue to have hope and belief in the power of the Holy Spirit

1 Pet 18 - which characterizes the Christianrsquos life on earth Rev 196-8 - anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in

the kingdom of heaven3 Joy as Action There is a joy that Scripture commands That joy is action that can

be engaged in regardless of how the person feels Proverbs 518 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth without reference to what she may be like Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted reviled and slandered (Mt 511 12) The apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil 44 1 Thes516) James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testings because such testings produce endurance (Jas 12) First Peter 413 seems to include both action and emotion when it says ldquoBut rejoice [the action] in so far as you share Christrsquos sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad [the emotion] when his glory is revealedrdquo Joy in adverse circumstances is possible only as a fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in every Christian (Gal 522)4 Mt 511 12 ndash Endurance through persecution in Jesusrsquo name puts one in good

company Phil 42-4 ndash Get over yourself you do not have to win to be happy

1 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 27) Dallas Word Incorporated2 Michaels J R (1998) 1 Peter (Vol 49 p 28) Dallas Word Incorporated3 Smalley S S (1996) Joy In (D R W Wood I H Marshall A R Millard J I Packer amp D J Wiseman Eds)New Bible dictionary Leicester England Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press4 Elwell W A amp Beitzel B J (1988) In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 24 1 Peter Notes

1 Thess 512-16 ndash Most of the things we do to lsquohelprsquo other people causing friction in the body are not sources of rejoicing Instead once again get over yourself and focus on the building the body of Christ

4 Principle The Christian can rejoice in the midst of suffering (2Cor 74 81-2 Col 111 1Thess 16)

5 It did not vanish at the approach of trouble since their rejoicing turns to the God who now in Jesus Christ has already inaugurated the eschatological age of salvation and will gloriously complete it on Christs return Hieberts Commentaries -Hieberts Commentaries ndash 1 Peter

ldquothough now for a little whilerdquo

1 God designs suffering with time parameters (Rom 818 2Cor 417 1Pet 510)

i Rom 816-18 ndash There is no comparison between temporal issues and glory we will experience in eternity

ii 2Cor 415-18 ndash Current afflictions are considered light while rewards in eternity exceeding heavy ldquohellipabsolute incomparable eternal weight in gloryrdquo (HSCB)

iii 1 Pet 58-10 ndash Even though the adversary hunts we can stand firm for now knowing that this will all be gone in eternity

2 God measures out a certain amount of trial to each of us (1Thess 33 1Pet 221)

i 1Thess 31-3 Paul send Timothy while they still are enduring afflictions due to their faith

ii 1Pet 218-25 Christ is our example of enduring undeserved suffering

3 God trains us for eternity

4 God wants us to see things from His vantage point

i Example of Joseph using Charles Stanleyrsquos ldquoAdvancing through Adversityrdquo

ii Gen 3718-24 ldquoAt this point in the narrative we might expect some divine intervention If not deliverance surely some indication that everything was going to work out fine But nothing happened God was silent Joseph sat alone in the bottom of a pit with no guarantee that he would live through the night No doubt he rehearsed in his mind the events leading up to his imprisonment his obedience to his father his willingness to go the extra mile and now this It did not make any sense it was not his fault that his father loved him more than the others It was not fair And still God was seemingly nowhere to be found5rdquo

iii Gen 3725-36 ldquoAs ldquoluckrdquo would have it a caravan of Ishmaelite traders was passing by To avoid having the blood of their own kin on their hands Josephrsquos brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites For the next several days and possibly weeks Joseph traveled as a slave in the company of the Ishmaelites Night after night he lay out under the stars wondering no doubt why all of this was happening He knew the stories of his greatndashgrandfather He had heard how God had spoken to Abraham on several occasions Certainly he wondered Why doesnrsquot God speak to me now But God remained silent6rdquo

iv Gen 391-6a In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaohrsquos bodyguard His master recognized that Joseph was special Every project Joseph undertook prospered Eventually Potiphar made him the overseer of the entire house The Bible tells us that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (see Gen 396)

5 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson6 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 25 1 Peter Notes

1 ldquoNow we might be tempted to think Well that is just like a Bible story everything worked out fine for Joseph But what we forget is that Joseph did not show up on Monday and get promoted to overseer on Friday The best we can tell Joseph was in Potipharrsquos service anywhere from five to ten years And the text seems to imply that Josephrsquos career as overseer was shortndashlived Who knows how long he cleaned out the stables or slopped the pigs Who knows the type of living quarters he had or who he had to share them with And regardless of his eventual rank in Potipharrsquos home he was still a slave He was still far away from home And through all of this God was silent7rdquo

v Gen 396 ldquoIt certainly was not Josephrsquos fault that he was goodndashlooking Nor was it his choice to be the overseer of Potipharrsquos home But the combination of these two things was more than Potipharrsquos wife could bear8rdquo

vi Gen 397-21 ldquoOnce again Joseph did the right thing But the right thing got him into trouble He refused to get involved with his masterrsquos wife She became angry and accused him of trying to rape her Just as things were beginning to pick up Joseph found himself right back in prison9rdquo

vii Gen 40 Joseph would not gain the attention of Pharaoh working for Potiphar He would however gain the attention of Pharaoh in prison

viii Gen 411 There is no way of knowing exactly how long Joseph was in prison We know he was there for more than two years (see Gen 411) It could have been as many as eight or nine Imagine spending the next few years of your life in a foreign prison Not awaiting a trial of any kind Joseph was a slave He had no rights or avenue of appeal There was no one to plead his case to Pharaoh No family to pay a visit He was sent to prison to rot And for what reason Faithfulness to a God who certainly did not seem to be showing much faithfulness in return Joseph had been outspoken about his faith (see Gen 399) He was doing his best to remain loyal But he received no blessing in return Things only got worse And God was agonizing silent10

1 ldquoAs time passed Joseph was again recognized as responsible and trustworthy Eventually the chief jailer made Joseph the supervisor for the whole jail Remember however we do not know how long he was treated like an ordinary criminal In two verses the writer of Genesis takes Joseph from being a prisoner to being in charge of the prison But it is not unrealistic to assume that months and possibly even years passed by before Joseph was recognized as one who could be trusted And even then God was silent11rdquo

2 ldquoRather abruptly we are introduced to two new characters the kingrsquos baker and cupbearer There is no apparent connection between these two and Joseph other than the fact that they are thrown into the same prison And yet as God would have it these men play a crucial role in fulfilling His plan12rdquo

3 ldquoWe are not told why these men were thrown into prison only that they were As ldquofaterdquo would have it the captain of the bodyguard put these men under Josephrsquos care The writer tells us that they were there ldquofor some

7 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson8 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson9 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson10 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson11 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson12 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 26 1 Peter Notes

timerdquo This is another indication that the events described here were separated by long stretches of time perhaps months or even years One night after they had been there a while each of these men had a dream When they woke up the expression on each manrsquos face was such that it was clear to Joseph that something was wrong13rdquo

4 After all he had been through and with no hope of ever being released from prison Josephrsquos faith remained solid and he was willing to express that faith in God14

ix Gen 408rdquoJoseph listened carefully as each man described his dream Then he told them what they meant The baker was to be executed The cupbearer however would be restored to his previous place of honor Josephrsquos response to the cupbearer assures us that Joseph was as human as the rest of us He said15rdquo

1 ldquoIt seems the Lord has been quite busy lately speaking to His children A few years ago Alistair Begg quoted a survey stating that one in three American adults say that God speaks to him directly[i] And hearing the voice of God is not isolated to the common person either A slew of evangelical leaders claim to hear from the Lord some of them quite regularly Henry Blackaby an avid proponent of extrabiblical revelation of this type when asked how he knew he was hearing from God and not from some other source gives this answer ldquoYou come to know His voice as you experience Him in a love relationship As God speaks and you respond you will come to the point that you recognize His voice more and more clearlyrdquo[ii]

1 [i] Alistair Begg What Angels Wish They Knew (Chicago Moody Press 1998) p 13

2 [ii] Henry Blackaby Experiencing God How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and doing the Will of God (Tennessee Broadman and Holman Publisher 1994) p 88

2 ldquoIn vogue in much of evangelicalism is the constant imploring of Christians to listen to God experience God and feel God D A Carson quoting a friendrsquos insightful critique of a book entitled Listening to God wrote ldquoIf anyone had written a book thirty years ago with that title you would have expected it to be about Bible study not about prayerhellip Many [Christians] now rely far more on inward promptings than on their Bible knowledge to decide what they are going to do in a situationrdquo[iii] There seems to have been a powerful shift in thinking among conservative Christians during the last few decadesrdquo

1 [iii] D A Carson The Gagging of God (Grand Rapids Zondervan 1996) p 506

3 Noncharismatic evangelical Christianity has definitely taken on a mystical bent in recent days as well While never denying the authority of Scripture as such many from people in the pew to key leaders regularly point to mystical experiences as the basis for much of what they do and believe We must be concerned that this weak view of the Scriptures will ultimately cause great harm in the body of Christ We agree with David Wellsrsquo assessment ldquoGranting the status of revelation to anything other than the Word of God inevitably has the effect of removing that status from the Word

13 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson14 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson15 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 27 1 Peter Notes

of God What may start out as an additional authority alongside the Word of God will eventually supplant its authority altogetherrdquo[xii] John Armstrong concurs ldquoDirect communication from God by definition constitutes some form of new revelation Such revelation would at least in principle indicate that the Scriptures were not sufficient or finalrdquo[xiii]

1 [viii] Elaine Pagels The Gnostic Gospels (New York Vintage Books 1981) pp 49 139-142 163-166)

x Gen 4023 ldquoDo you ever feel as if God has forgotten you Maybe you have begged God to change your spouse but you see no change You may be addicted to some form of narcotic and it is as if your prayers get no higher than the ceiling I canrsquot help but believe that every believer has felt forgotten at one point or another felt as if God is too busy or has His mind on something else16rdquo

xi Gen 411 ldquoI imagine Joseph must have felt pretty lonely sitting in that Egyptian dungeon We donrsquot know for sure but he probably felt betrayed as well For all he knew the cupbearer purposely did not tell Pharaoh about him Once again Joseph suffered as a result of trying to do right And for two more years he remained a prisoner of Egypt Two years of wondering why God was letting this happen to him Two years of battling back and forth in his mind as to whether or not the cupbearer had forgotten about him or just did not care Two years to rehearse mentally the things that had taken place with his brothers Potiphar Potipharrsquos wife and now this Two long yearsmdashand God was silent17rdquo

xii Gen 411-15 ldquoPut yourself in Josephrsquos place for a minute How would you have responded to Pharaoh I know what I would have said ldquoBefore I interpret any dream we need to make a little deal First of all no more prison Second where is that sorry cupbearer I ought tohellip rdquo18rdquo

3 ldquoBut the words that uttered from Josephrsquos mouth defy all human explanation There was no bitternessmdashthough he had good reason to be bitter He did not speak in angermdashthough I believe I would have been extremely angry He did not talk about the wrongs that had been done to him He simply looked at Pharaoh the most powerful man in the world at that time19rdquo

xiii Gen 4116 ldquoAnd God did give Pharaoh an answer Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in command In one brief moment Joseph went from a hopeless foreign slave to second in command of the most powerful nation on earth After thirteen years of misery something good finally happened20rdquo

5 WhaWldquoIf anything is clear from the story of Joseph it is this Godrsquos silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives He may be silent but He is not still We assume that since we are not hearing anything He must not be doing anything We judge Godrsquos interest and involvement by what we see and hear21rdquo

6 ldquoGodrsquos involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances His involvement is measured by two things first of all the

16 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson17 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson18 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson19 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson20 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson21 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 28 1 Peter Notes

development of our character and second the fulfillment of His plan Joseph spent about thirteen years facing one adversity after another And God was involved every step of the way It was through those adversities that He was accomplishing His will And God will use adversity to accomplish His will in our lives as well22rdquo

7 ldquoWhat happened however was much more fantastic than anything Josephcould have ever hoped for Joseph did not know that God was setting the stage for a key move in His plan to bring salvation to the world For God had decided to rear His chosen people through whom the Messiah would later come as slaves to a pagan nation Then by miraculously freeing them from a worldndashrenowned power He would demonstrate to every nation that He was the only true and living God Along with that His people would have a heritage of faith and a picture of what the Messiah would one day do for every nationrdquo23

8 ldquoThe problem (humanly speaking) was how to get His people out of the landHe had given to them through Abraham and to the land of a foreign nation Second they had to be welcomed there initially and given enough freedom to live together and multiply So God chose to accomplish all of that through one manmdashJoseph Once he was appointed second in command there was almost nothing he could not do including invite his entire family to Egypt to settle during the famine that just ldquohappenedrdquo to take place a few years later As long as he was alive he could guarantee their safety and freedom Joseph was the key player in one of the most strategic episodes in the story of salvation and he never knew it24rdquo

9 Not an unusual way in which God works ensuring the safety of His chosen people (From the Daniel amp Revelation Notes)

i 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine and attacked Jerusalem in September 605 It was on this occasion that Daniel and his companions were taken to Babylon as captives

ii Returning to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 43 years (605-562)

iii Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a second time in 597 BC in response to Jehoiachinrsquos rebellion In this incursion Jerusalem was brought in subjection to Babylon and 10000 captives were taken to Babylon among whom was the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 11-3 2 Kings 248-20 2 Chron 366-10)

iv Nebuchadnezzar returned to Judah a third time in 588 BC After a long siege against Jerusalem the city walls were breached the city destroyed and the temple burned in the year 586 Most of the Jews who were not killed in this assault were deported to Babylon (2 Kings 251-7 Jer 341-7 391-7 522-11)

v The restoration of the Jews back to their land was made possible when in 539 BC Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire Having a policy to restore displaced peoples to their lands Cyrus issued a decree in 538 that permitted the Jews who so desired to return to Jerusalem (2 Chron 3622-23 Ezra 11-4)

a About 50000 Jewish exiles returned to the land and began to rebuild the

22 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson23 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson24 Stanley C F (1989) How to handle adversity Nashville Oliver-Nelson

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 29 1 Peter Notes

temple This was in keeping with Danielrsquos prayer (Dan 94-19)

ldquoif necessaryrdquo

9 [100-250 AD] The first organized persecution which brought Christians into the courts as defendants took place in Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger about 112 Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to Emperor Trajan in which he gave information about the Christians outlined his policy and asked Trajan for his judgment concerning the matter He wrote that ldquothe contagion of this superstitionrdquo (Christianity) had spread in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger cities to such an extent that the temples had been almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals impoverished Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his procedure in treating Christians When someone informed on a Christian Pliny brought the Christian before his tribunal and asked him whether he was a Christian If he still admitted the charge after three such questions he was sentenced to death In his answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the correct procedure No Christians were to be sought out but if someone reported that a certain individual was a Christian the Christian was to be punished unless he recanted and worshiped the gods of the Romans3 It was during this persecution that Ignatius lost his life In a letter to the Roman Church he asked them to do nothing to prevent his martyrdom He desired to be Godrsquos wheat to be ground to bread by the lionrsquos mouth Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1651-1660) Zondervan Kindle Edition

10 Christians in the Roman Empire Nestorians in China in the ninth and tenth centuries and Roman Catholics in Japan in the seventeenth century as well as Christians in the Nazi and Communist states have had the common experience of state hostility even to the point of martyrdom Christians have also faced literary attacks from pagan intellectuals such as Lucian Fronto and Celsus Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1574-1577) Zondervan Kindle Edition

11 All these considerations [political religious social and economic] combined to justify the persecution of the Christians in the minds of the authorities Not all were present in each case but the exclusiveness of the claims of the Christian religion on the life of the Christian conflicted with pagan syncretism and the demand for exclusive loyalty to the Roman state in most instances Persecution followed naturally as a part of imperial policy to preserve the integrity of the Roman state Christianity was not a licensed religion with a legal right to existence Martyrs and apologists were its answer to mobs the state and pagan writers Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church (Kindle Locations 1634-1638) Zondervan Kindle Edition

12 Historical example in 303 AD ldquoAs had Decius the Emperor Diocletian sought to enlist the old gods to set everything right When once again the Christians refused to participate his designated successor Galerius pushed him to crack down So despite the fact that Diocletianrsquos wife and daughter were Christians 37 he issued a decree probably crafted by Galerius (who succeeded him as emperor two years later) that banned all Christian gatherings ordered the seizure or destruction of all churches required that all Christian scriptures be burned barred Christians from public office and prohibited anyone from freeing a Christian slave Arrests torture and brutal executions began at once All told approximately three thousand Christian leaders and prominent members died and thousands of others were sentenced to slaveryrdquo Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1138-1144) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

v But on his deathbed in 311 Galerius revoked all the anti-Christian decrees He grumbled that the persecutions had been ineffective and then ordered

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 30 1 Peter Notes

Christians to pray for his recovery (and some probably did) Stark Rodney (2014-03-17) How the West Won The Neglected Story of the Triumph of Modernity (Kindle Locations 1145-1146) Intercollegiate Studies Institute Kindle Edition

13 ldquoThis propagation has many times brought persecution to the church This persecution was begun by the political-ecclesiastical Jewish state was organized on an imperial basis by Decius and Diocletian was often made a part of Muslim policy and has been revived by the modern secular totalitarian state Study of persecution reveals the truth of Tertullianrsquos dictum that ldquothe blood of Christians is seedrdquo (of the church) This branch of church history far from leading to discouragement shows rather that the church has made its greatest advance in periods of persecution or immediately afterrdquo Cairns Earle E (2009-09-13) ldquoChristianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church ldquo(Kindle Locations 267-271) Zondervan Kindle Edition

14 Sorrow is necessary for the Christianrsquos development (1Thess 33)

15 Sorrowful events are needful a due proper It is what must take place and is often inevitable (Mark 137) Also Luke 443 922 1725

i Donrsquot be distracted (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 Being distracted by those who claim to be the Messiah

2 Being distracted by international events and conflicts

3 Being distracted by natural events and calamities

ii Persecution and natural disasters are nothing new (Grace Notes Study of Mark)

1 The Emperors Caligula Claudius and Nero all threatened war against the Jews

2 In AD 38 in Alexandria the Jews were persecuted by the Romans In Seleucia over 50 thousand Jews were killed

3 Four major earthquakes rocked parts of the Roman Empire all between the time of this prophecy and AD 70 One in Crete (AD 46) one in Rome (AD 51) in Phrygia (AD 60) and in Campania (AD 63)

4 Also there were four major famines during this period one which is mentioned in Acts 1128 in Judea in AD 44

7 The followers of Christ stand under the necessity Acts 96 916 1422

8 It is a demand for obedient faith in every situation of life (Matt 246 Mark 1310 Rev 11)

9 Jesus uses the term of the necessity of prayer life (Luke 181 Rom 826)

10 Suffering is necessary

11 Word lsquomustrsquo used with ldquoborn againrdquo salvation and necessity of faith (John 37 Acts 412 1630)

12 Example from John 11 (ldquoAdvancing Through Adversityrdquo by Charles Stanley)

i John 111-3

1 ldquoThe fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power No doubt they thought If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend But such was not the caserdquo

ii John 114-6

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 31 1 Peter Notes

1 Makes no sense from human perspective Typically we drop what we are doing to help those who we love or are great friends with

2 There are times when we scramble for Scripture verses to relieve the suffering

3 It may seem that God is unwilling to follow through with any action in response to prayer

4 Note that in this narrative the two day delay would be a source of anxiety and frustration for ladies They probably sent for Jesus as they became aware of their brothers terminal condition then watched him steadily slip away and finally die

5 So Lazarus passed away and seemingly God did nothing

1 ldquoIt was over He was gone Soon their thoughts turned to Jesus Why didnrsquot He come How could He know what we were going through and yet stay awayrdquo

2 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

iii John 1111

1 ldquoThese no doubt are some of the questions you have asked as you have cried out to God in the midst of the adversity in your life How can a God of love stand back and watch my friend and his wife suffer and not do anything about it How can He watch from the balcony of heaven as women are physically or sexually abused How can He watch husbands walk out on their wives and children Does He know what is going on down hererdquo

2 God does know what is going on in our lives

iv John 1114-15

1 ldquoMy friend the answer to that question is the key to unlocking the mystery of tragedy in this life To understand what was going on in the mind of Christ and in the economy of God in a situation like this one is to discover the universal principle that puts together and holds together all of lifemdashboth now and for eternity Christ had a goal in all of this a goal so important that it was worth the emotional agony Mary and Martha had to endure It was worth risking the destruction of their faith It was even worth the death of a faithful friendrdquo

2 ldquoMen what you are about to see is so fantastic that it is worth the pain and death of my beloved friendrdquo If they were like us they probably thought what could be worth all of thisrdquo

v John 1118-21 28-29 31

1 ldquoMary and Martha for all their time spent with the Son of God were still human to the core They wanted to know one thing ldquoJesus where in the world have You beenrdquo They had no doubt that Jesus could have healed their brother Martha even indicates that she believes there is still hope (see John 1122) But the fact that He had seemingly ignored their plight had left them confused and frustrated Why did He delayrdquo

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 32 1 Peter Notes

vi John 1133-36

1 Jesus does care

2 ldquoThink about it His knowledge of the future did not keep Him from identifying with the sorrow of those around Himrdquo

vii John 113-5

1 If anything is clear from this story it is that some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them

2 Whether some persons can fit this idea into their theology or not the fact remains that the Son of God allowed those He loved to suffer and die for the sake of some higher purpose

viii John 1141-42

b ldquoyou have been distressed by various trialsrdquo

12 Poikilos s lt4164gt ldquovariousrdquo usually with the notion of a variety of kinds or forms of things (James 12 1Pet 410) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c God mixes the bitter with the sweet to train us for glory (Rom 92 4)

d Lypeō slt3076gt ldquoto grieve feel sorrow or pain (John 166 Romans 92 Phil 227)Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

12 Grief is an integral part of the Christian life (Gal 614 Phil 310-11 2Cor 48-9)

13 Christrsquos death brought grief to the disciples (John 1633)

e Peirasmos slt3986gt trials with a beneficial purpose and effect (a) of trials or temptations Divinely permitted or sent (1Pet 412-13) Vines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

2 The use of lsquogoldrsquo which was the most valuable mineral in Peterrsquos time is used to highlight the value of our faith Faith is more valuable than gold of course but there was nothing else to compare it to in terms of value and removing of impurities (1Peter 17)

a There is a similar process for refining gold to increase its purity and the testing that God employs to remove our impurities

1) δοκίμιον Dokimion ltG1382gt testing genuineness is rendered proof in Jas 131Cor 1128 2Cor 82 Heb 39

2) Principle God refines our faith by trail

i ldquoWhen it comes to trials everyone is in one of these three stages They are experiencing a trial coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial In the Detroit Mich area there are proving grounds for automobiles The purpose of these proving grounds is to test the mechanical soundness of cars before they are out on the market Test drivers run these cars for days without turning off the motor The cars are put through bumps curves water hills and many more obstacles for long periods of time The manufacturing companies want to know whether the shocks and brakes are going to hold up under punishment In the same way God wants to develop our faith so that we will stand up to the bumps of liferdquo GN

3) The purpose of trials is to test our faith

i ldquoIf a gold mining company wishes to develop a new site it sends someone to assay the metal to see whether the gold is genuine and of sufficient quantity to warrant investment in the mine The assayer takes a sample of the gold to the

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 33 1 Peter Notes

laboratory and examines it He then sends his report about the quality of the ore to the company The report is more valuable than the gold sent with the report On the basis of the report the company will make a decision as to whether it will proceed with the project In the same way God wants a faith that can take the test God is looking for people He can trust If God finds our faith one He can approve then He knows that we stand the tests of life He wants to know the quality of our faithrdquo

b Assimilation of Godrsquos Word (Rom 1017) and application of what we know (Heb 41-3) is the means of increasing faith

3 ldquobeing more precious than gold which is perishablerdquo

a Polytimos slt4186gt of great value of great value costly precious (Rom 59 510 515 520) Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament WordsVines Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words

1) Worth usages Acts 2024 Heb 134

2) Other instances where spiritual wealth is held higher than material wealth Psalm 119127 Prov 811)

3) Principle God deems faith tested by fire as being of eternal value

4 ldquoeven though tested by firerdquo

a Metal is put into a crucible to determine whether it is genuine (Prov 810 173)

b Sample uses of ldquotestedrdquo 1Thess 24 2Cor 133 2Cor 1018

c God does the actual testing of faith Rom 53-4 (endurance) 2Cor 82 (during duress) 2Cor 913 1119 (sifting out authentic believers) 88 (love for God)

d Testing helps us learn the will of God (Rom 122 Eph 59-10 Phil 110 1Thess 521)

e Jesus prayed for Peter in order to strengthen his faith Luke 2231-32

f Principle God uses extreme adversity (fire) to force out the impurities and the things that are unimportant in our lives

g ldquoApplication Peter compares our faith to gold that is precious from the human viewpoint Suffering brings the impurities out of our lives and makes us useful to God This kind of faith is more valuable than gold God takes the slag out of our lives God does not test our faith in prosperity but in adversity God kicks out the crutches from our lives He skims off the slag of dependence on other people upon our social life upon health beauty sex or material possessions Trouble will come that can wipe out these things These things will not sustain us in times of duress Good times do not sustain us only God can sustain us by his promisesrdquo 2Cor 1013

5 The reason why we must go through this purifying process ldquomay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christrdquoa Found by who God εὑρίσκω heuriskō hyoo-ris-ko slt2147gt ldquoto findrdquo something either

by a purposeful search or accidentally It can also mean ldquoto obtainrdquo a state or condition

b ἔπαινος epainos ep-ahee-nos slt1868gt denotes the approval or recognition that is offered to an object worthy of such designation and is best translated as ldquopraise commendationrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

c τιμή time tee-may slt5092gt is the amount at which something is ldquovaluedrdquo its ldquopricerdquo or it can mean ldquohonor respectrdquo Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

d δόξα doxa dox-ah slt1391gt glory honor splendor Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 34 1 Peter Notes

e Principle God has established a day when we will get our due (1Cor 45)

6 Principle God will manifest the eternal value of the life of faith when Jesus return The three results of the glorification of the believer praise honor and glory will take place at the coming of Christ God honors those who prove their faith

2 Peter commends the churches because of the faith they have demonstrated They always have two choices when going through trials and they have chosen to love Jesus Christ (1 Pet 18 John 2029) ldquoand though you have not seen Him you love Himrdquo ldquoYou love Him thoughyou have not seen Himrdquo HCSB

a You can still ldquoknowrdquo Him regardless of whether you have ever had a glimpse of Him 1John 47-10

1) These Asia Minor Christians have never seen Jesus Christ Rom 55 Rev 224

2) Principle The more we know the Lord Jesus the more we love Him James 112 1John 419

3) Principle We love the Lord Jesus because he took the initiative to die for our sins 1Cor 1622

b ldquoand though you do not see Him nowrdquo

1) ὁράω horaō hor-ah-o slt3708gt to see sight seeing Aorist word is eidon meaning you have not seen Him (in this case) nor will you in this age)

c ldquobut believe in Himrdquo1) πιστεύω pisteuō pist-yoo-o slt4100gt too believe to the extent of comple trust and

reliance (Louw Nida) We have the present and active verb tense here (pisteuontes)

2) Principle Believing is seeing (Psalm 2713 John 2029 Hebrews 11)3) This is the single requirement to become a Christian John 112 315-17 336 524

635 John 2031d ldquogreatly rejoicerdquo

1) ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō ag-al-lee-ah-o slt21gt to experience a state of great joy and gladness often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movementmdashlsquoto be extremely joyful to be overjoyed to rejoice greatly (Lk 147 1021 Jn 535 856 Act 1634 1Pet 16 8)

2) Principle Present joy depends on our present relationship to Jesus Christ Matt 2630

e ldquowith joy inexpressiblerdquo ldquowith inexpressible and glorious joyrdquo NASB

1) There are two qualifications to describe joy (1) joy inexpressible and (2) ldquoand full of gloryrdquo

2) χαρά chara khar-ah ltG5479gt a state of joy and gladness

3) ἀνεκλάλητος aneklalētos an-ek-lal-ay-tos ltG412gt pertaining to what cannot be uttered or expressedmdashlsquowhat cannot be expressed in wordsrsquo

i Principle Joy is the flag of the heart that shows the King is in residenceii ldquoApplication If we fly high enough we will get into clear skies The joy of our

lives depends on the character of our thoughts Joy does not depend upon circumstances so joy is not happiness Happiness depends upon what happens to us Do I have good health Do I have congenial company Am I financially set Do I have pleasant circumstances Happiness then is not joyrdquo

4) δοξάζω doxazō dox-ad-zo ltG1392gt to be of exceptional value with the implication of being particularly praiseworthymdashlsquoto be wonderful to be gloriousrsquoi Principle The joy that Christians have receives glory when they orient to the

Lordii ldquoIf we have a day when things are not going right glory liberates us from

attitude sins Mental attitude sins produce misery Envy jealousy bitterness

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 35 1 Peter Notes

pride vindictiveness all produce self-induced misery All this bile will come to the surface at a time we least expect it When we experience the glory of fellowship with the Lord it will expel attitude sinsrdquo

iii Peter states that they have exhibited the items in verse 8 because of their faith the outcome is therefore is the salvation of their souls Since the audience is already saved we conclude this refers to the current and final phases of salvation- eventual freedom from the presence of sin completely All this due to their activities while already in a saved state

3 Due to the faith exhibited by these believers ie they have submitted to this refining process and grown in faith they believe in ldquoHimrdquo though they have not seen him and they experience joy in their souls =gt they will obtain as an outcome the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 19)

a ldquoobtainingrdquo or ldquoreceivingrdquo ldquobecause you are receivingrdquo HCSBi κομίζω [komizo kommiddotidmiddotzo] sltG2865gt ldquoget back to bear carry receive backrdquo

(Mt 2527 Lk 737 2 Cor 510 1 Pe 19)

a) 9092 κομίζωb to cause someone to experience something on the basis of what that person has already donemdashlsquoto cause to experience in return to cause to suffer for to cause to experience in proportion to to be repaid forhellip

ii τέλος [telos telmiddotos] sltG5056gt end (Mt 26598 Rom 621-22 Jas 511 1Pe 19 1 Pe 417)

a) 6766 τέλοςa ους n συντέλεια ας f a point of time marking the end of a durationmdashlsquoendrsquo hellip

iii πίστις [pistis pismiddottis] sltG4102gt faith

a) 3185 πιστεύωb πίστιςb εως f to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliancemdashlsquoto believe in to have confidence in to have faith in to trust faith and trustrsquo

iv σωτηρία [soteria somiddottaymiddotreemiddotah] sltG4991gt deliverance salvation

a) 2125 σωτηρίαb ας f a state of having been savedmdashlsquosalvationrsquo25Refers to salvation

v ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay] sltG5590gt life soul

a) 264 ψυχήa ῆς f the essence of life in terms of thinking willing and feelingmdashlsquoinner self mind thoughts feelings heart beingrsquo26

b Note that salvation is found in 1Pet 15 9 and 10 The words ldquoreligionrdquo and ldquosalvationrdquo are not synonyms One can have lots of religion and not have any salvation

i Jesus Christ is mentioned in versus 1-12 seven times Apart from Jesus Christ

n neuterf femininef femininef feminine25 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 240) New York United Bible Societiesf feminine26 Louw J P amp Nida E A (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains (electronic ed of the 2nd edition Vol 1 p 320) New York United Bible Societies

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 36 1 Peter Notes

there is no salvation God saves our souls in two ways 1) we are being spiritually saved in the here and now 2) the soul is physically saved when it receives its resurrection body27

ii Principle We not only have a Savior but a Sustainer

a) Salvation began at one point and continues into eternity We presently possess eternal salvation Every Christian also daily receives the salvation of the soul This is progressive salvation Those in deep distress need to focus on the long-range view of our salvation God is saving him in the trial he faces 28

b) A wonderful thing about knowing the Lord is having a Savior and a Sustainer If we fall into sin there is the temptation to despair If we feel that we are not getting our share we do not draw upon the end of our faith If others say it is not right that we should suffer so we put our eyes on the wrong place The Lord both understands knows and concurs with everything that happens to us29

(Heb 416)

c) If we look at problems they are mountain high When God looks at them the problems are as pebbles God is still on the throne and Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father Are you open to stage a spiritual comeback 30

d) To summarize this first major section so far (vv 3-9) Peter called on his readers to rejoice in their present sufferings because of their hope faith and love They had certain hope in the future appearing of Jesus Christ and in their final glorification They had faith in Gods dealings with them presently namely allowing them to undergo trials and they had love for Jesus Christ for what He had already done for them in the past It does not matter if we look forward around us or backward We can find grounds for rejoicing wherever we look even as we suffer 31

c Soul and Spirit Introduction amp Definition (1st Thess 523 1Cor 210-16) [from Pastor Bob Bolenderrsquos 1 Cor Study)]

i Soul that which makes a human or animal body alive In this sense ldquosoulrdquo amp ldquoliferdquo are interchangeable When the soul departs the body dies (Gen 3518 1st Kgs 1719-23)a) פש נ [nephesh nehmiddotfesh] 5315 soul living being life self personb) ψυχή [psuche psoomiddotkhay]5590 life soul

ii Spirit that which makes a believer alive unto God When the spirit departs the believerrsquos body the believerrsquos body dies (Ps 1464 Lk 855 2346)a) רוח [ruwach roomiddotakh] (7308Aram) breath wind spiritb) πνεῦμα [pneuma pnyoomiddotmah]4151 spiritc) Important Note ruach amp pneuma are also used of the Holy Spirit and spirit

beings (both good amp evil)iii Other terms for the invisible part of man

a) Heart the center Largely synonymous with ldquoinner manrdquo as the center of manrsquos physical mental emotional moral amp (if he has one) spiritual life The heart of the unbeliever is entirely focused on self and God must create a new and clean heart for the believer (2 Sam 111-4 Matt 58 James 3)1) מי לב ק [leb labe]3820 (3821Aram) בב amp ל [lebab laymiddotbawb] 3824 (3825 Aram) inner

man mind will heart2) καρδία [kardia karmiddotdeemiddotah]2588 heart inner self mind will

27 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -128 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -129 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -130 Dr Grant Richison (nd) 1st Epistle of Peter -131 Dr Thomas L Constable (nd) Notes on 1Peter

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit

382015382015 740 PM 37 1 Peter Notes

b) Mind the intellectual center of man (Ex 1Cor 14)1 διάνοια [dianoia deemiddotanmiddotoymiddotah] n1271 mind understanding2 νοῦς [nous nooce] 3563 mind thought reason understanding

c) Inner Man1) רב ק qereb kehrsquo-reb7130 inward part innermost being2) ἔσω ἄνθρωπον 2080 + 444 the inner being inner nature

(ἔξω ἄνθρωπον the outer man (body))d) Terms related to emotions מים רח rachamiym 7356 (7359 Aram) amp σπλάγχνον 4698

iv Bodya) שר ב [basar bawmiddotsawr] (שר ב besar 1321 Aram)b) σῶμα [soma somiddotmah]4983 bodyc) σάρξ [sarx sarx]4561 flesh The aspect of the body that is fallen amp weak The

no good thing within the body that motivates and manufactures personal sin32

d The Soul Development amp Application1

a) The creation of Adam (Gen 27)1) He formed Adamrsquos body out of the dust2) He breathed into him the breath of lives (חיים מת נש nishmath chayyiym)3) Man became a living soul (חיה פש נ nephesh chayyah ψυχὴν ζῶσαν

psuchen zosan (1st Cor 1545))b) The soul is essentially the person As a result the word ldquosoulrdquo often refers to

the entire person (Lev 42 51ff 720 198 Acts 241 714 2737)c) The soul is the invisible part of man that recognizes unmet needs

1) Food amp drink (Dt 121520-21 1st Sam 216 Ps 10759 Prov 630)2) Personal possessions (Dt 1426)3) Sexual activity (Gen 3438 Song 31-4)4) Children (1st Sam 115)5) Intimacy with God (Ps 421-2 631 842)6) The Lord meets the soulrsquos every need (Ps 197 233 635 1312

Jer 3125)d) The soul is the invisible part of man that expresses various human emotions

and experiencesa) The soul may be grieved (Job 3025) bitter (Job 320 Isa 3815) troubled

(Ps 883) dismayed (Ps 63) distressed (Gen 4221) unsettled (Acts 1524) and unstable (2nd Pet 214)

b) The soul may despair (Dt 2865 Ps 426) weep (Ps 11928) tremble (Isa 154) and hate (2nd Sam 58 Ps 115)

c) The soul may also rejoice (Ps 359 Isa 6110) love (1st Sam 1813 Song 17) be made glad (Ps 864) be delighted (Ps 9419) bless the Lord (Ps 1031222 104135) and remember (Ps 1032 Lam 320)

e) The soul-life of man is bound within the blood of his body (Dt 1223 Isa 5312)f) The soul of believers differs from the soul of unbelievers

a) It is purified for a sincere love of the brethren (1st Pet 122)b) It may prosper regardless of what temporal circumstances the person

experiences (3rd Jn 2)c) It is strengthened through Bible teaching (Acts 1422) It is pierced by

diligent Bible teaching (Heb 412)d) It is anchored in the hope set before us (Heb 619)e) Is tended by spiritual leaders (Heb 1317) especially the Lord Jesus Christ

(1st Pet 225 419)33

e The Human Spirit Development amp Application

n n noun or neuter32 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit1 Broad outline developed from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1979 revised edition33 Robert Bolender Jr (nd) Soul and Spirit